Labour’s Finance spokesperson, Joan Burton, paid a visit to the Cavan/Monaghan constituency on Tuesday 15^th February to show her support for local candidate, Liam Hogan.

Commenting on the local challenges Ms Burton noted that Monaghan has long suffered from a lack of support from the job creation agencies of the state and that over the years it has not been given proper attention from the likes of the IDA.  She went on to say that Labour is committed to job creation as a central plank of its election manifesto with a €500m Jobs Fund as a vital part of their strategy. Along with this the party has detailed plans to assist the SME sector, which in Monaghan in particular, represents a large section of the labour market and is probably the best chance the county has to grow the local economy and get people off the dole queues.  Labour will make it easier for these businesses to operate by cutting red tape and reducing costs as well as ensuring that access to much needed credit is available.

During her visit to Cavan and Monaghan Ms Burton took time out to meet with the Cavan Chamber of Commerce to discuss their concerns around the local economy as well as the challenges being faced by the Quinn Group in the context of the jobs that might be at risk in the constituency should be company not get adequate support.

She concluded by saying, ‘Without a vibrant and dynamic SME sector in Monaghan, where the county has already demonstrated its entrepreneurial spirit, we cannot hope to get out of this crisis. We need the drive and creativity of this sector to be supported and enhanced. We need jobs and we need growth - cuts and taxes will never get us out of this mess without a focused job creation strategy and that is what voters will get with the Labour party.’

Liam Hogan noted that, ‘In the last three years there have been 16,000 jobs created by the IDA and only 11 of those have gone to Monaghan. The county needs a presence in government that will bring positive change to the area. It is not good enough that some parties are making promises, safe in the knowledge that they will never be in position where they will have to implement them. Virtue never tested isn’t virtue at all. Voters in Monaghan need to decide if they want a strong opposition that cannot and will not deliver anything or a Labour TD with a chance of being in government that can at least deliver something.  This election should be about what is possible, not hiding on the opposition benches. If I am elected I will set about developing a comprehensive job creation strategy by working with all of the appropriate stakeholders; local chamber of commerce, county enterprise board and the IDA.’