The Live Register figures for June show that there are now over 450,000 people on the live register. This a clear indication that the Fianna Fail/Greens Government has failed abysmally to get to grips with our jobs crisis.

 In Blanchardstown, there are 8,565 people unemployed. In the under 25 years category there are 1,587 unemployed. 

 The increase of over 37,000 over the last 12 months and of nearly 15,000 since May gives the lie to Government claims that we have turned the corner.

 The reasons for this are clear: this Government has run out of ideas and has run out of steam. While they are perfectly happy to pump billion after billion into zombie banks, they are doing virtually nothing invest in job creation.

 We know that each lost job costs the exchequer about €20,000 per year, but if the Government’s track record is anything to go by, we can’t expect any action with regard to job creation any time soon.

 The Labour Party has proposed a series of job creation initiatives including:

  A Strategic Investment Bank which would use €2bn, less than 10% of the total, from the National Pension Reserve Fund to support commercial investments of up to €20bn in critical infrastructure projects and innovative start-ups and SME.

 An SME Working Capital Guarantee Scheme which would ensure that viable small and family businesses can get the loans they need.

 A €1.15bn jobs fund to support training schemes and labour intensive capital investment.

- A Graduate & Apprentice Programme which would guarantee relevant, work-based training and an opportunity to obtain new qualifications for all young people out of work.

 It is time that Brian Cowen and his colleagues now gave unemployment the priority it deserves. Creating jobs is the key to getting our economy moving again. We need a far more proactive approach by the government who should take on board proposals the Labour Party has made.