Jobs-rich recovery is taking hold in all regions

It has become increasingly clear this week that the recovery we are now experiencing in Ireland is not only jobs-rich, but is one that is taking hold in all regions across the country.

Today we see where IDA Ireland, the Government agency responsible for attracting foreign direct investment, has announced that total employment in overseas companies now stands at 187,056 people, the highest level on record.

IDA companies created almost 19,000 in 2015 across a range of sectors, with every region of Ireland reporting net gains in jobs.

It is particularly encouraging that in 2015, 53% – or more than half of all jobs created by IDA clients – were based outside of Dublin. This is compared to 49% in 2014.

This comes on top of yesterday’s Enterprise Ireland announcement that their client companies had created 21,118 new jobs last year, with almost two thirds of the new jobs outside Dublin.

Since 2011 the number of people at work in Enterprise Ireland client companies has increased by 17%. This compares to a fall of 17% between 2008 and 2010.

Again, all regions recorded increases in full-time employment over the period.

In addition, according to the CSO figures published yesterday, unemployment has fallen to 8.8%, its lowest figure in seven years.

When we came into office Ireland was bankrupt, the public finances had spun out of control, and were losing 1,000 jobs a week.

Five years on, and Ireland is the fastest growing economy in Europe, our tax revenues increased by 10% in 2015, and there are 140,000 more people at work.

In 2011 the people of Ireland gave Labour the job of fixing the country, and we are doing precisely that.