Sinn Féin spokesperson on Enterprise, Trade, Employment & Workers’ Rights Louise O’Reilly TD has described unemployment figures released today by the European Commission as ‘shocking’.

The figures show that Ireland has suffered the second highest job losses in the EU in Quarter 2 of this year.

Teachta O’Reilly said:

“Today’s figures published by the Commission are an indictment of this Government’s performance in managing the economy through the course of the pandemic.

“Ireland suffered the second highest job losses in Quarter 2 of this year; second only to Spain, which has suffered among the worst outbreaks of the virus.

“With more than twice the European average for jobs lost, this Government has failed by the most important measure; jobs.

“This does not even take into account those now on the Pandemic Unemployment Payment.

“Figures published by the CSO showed an unemployment rate of 23.1% for Quarter 2, with the rate of youth unemployment rising to 16.6%.

“The total number in receipt of unemployment payments in August stood at more than 430,000.

“By any standards, and by objective European comparisons, this Government is failing on jobs and failing on the economy.

“Its response has been chronically slow in supporting jobs and businesses, while last week it cut wage supports with no regard for heavily impacted sectors.

“The failure of this Government and the Minister for Enterprise, Trade & Employment is costing Ireland jobs.”