Progress continues on jobs front as unemployment hits 7-year low – Burton

Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection, Joan Burton, T.D., has welcomed CSO figures today which show unemployment is at its lowest level in seven years. Unemployment fell in December by 700 to 190,600, or 8.8%, down from a rate of 10.2% in December 2014.

The Tánaiste commented: “Today’s figures confirm the pattern of a continued and steady fall in unemployment, a result of the jobs-led recovery in our economy which the government has helped bring about. I particularly welcome the fall in youth unemployment to 19.2%, down from 26% two years ago. While this is still too high, it shows we are making progress.

“We are now creating 1,000 jobs a week, and are close to having two million people at work. We want to continue this momentum towards full employment. One such measure on this front is the Pathways to Work 2016, which I will bring forward later this month. The new Pathways strategy will focus on making sure jobseekers can get access to good quality work, training and education opportunities.

“In addition, this month workers across the country will start to feel the benefit of USC reductions in their take home pay, along with child benefit increases of €5 per child for every family. These are steps to ensure every household and every family feel the benefits of our economic recovery.”