“The new CSO figures produced last week show frightening increases in the number of people emigrating to escape the present crisis caused by Fianna Fail in this country with unemployment now at over 450,000”, stated Seymour Crawford, Fine Gael T.D. for Cavan/Monaghan.

“It was only last week, after two years of depression, that the Taoiseach called together the leaders of the IDA, Enterprise Ireland and FAS in a show of mercy to give the impression that he is doing something for this impossible crisis. However, in the month of April this year alone almost twice as many people left Ireland to seek work abroad than in April 2009, this is in fact an extra 9,300 of our best and brightest people. Those being driven abroad are mainly young people, many of them work in the building trade but many others are graduates and young professionals who cannot get work in Ireland. It would seem that the only job plan that this Government is providing is either to emigrate or go on the dole.”

“While it is important that the Government, of whatever Party is in power, gets the banking situation right and gets our economy back on float there is absolutely no need to commit all our monies to Anglo Irish Bank and ignore the needs of small and medium industries who are the lifeblood of our nation.”

“Fine Gael wants to build an enterprise economy and we will do that after the election and give young people the opportunity to find work within Ireland. The country can provide the funds to create employment and we have no doubt that the NewERA plan put forward by our Party can over a four year period create over 100,000 jobs and in turn overhaul the State’s infrastructure. The jobs crisis is putting enormous pressure on both emigration and the social welfare system and only the creation of jobs can actually bring wealth back into this country and increase exported goods.”

“It is not public relations or roundtable meetings by An Taoiseach or his Ministers that the ordinary people of Ireland want to hear but solid proposals which will allow industry to get the money necessary to create jobs and that support will be given to people taking on new employees which is much better than forcing others to put them on social welfare”, concluded Deputy Crawford.