Unemployment out of control - Time for Action - McDonald

14 March, 2009

Sinn Féin is holding a day of action in towns and cities across the country today demanding action on the unemployment crisis. Today marks the beginning of a series of launches and actions to be rolled out over the coming weeks around Sinn Féin’s proposals to get Ireland back to work, develop the all-island economy, public sector spending and public finance savings.

Speaking today at the GPO on O’Connell Street Sinn Féin Vice President Mary Lou McDonald Dublin MEP said, “Unemployment is spiralling out of control. The government needs a three-year plan to hold on to or create the 1,000 jobs a day that are being lost. This must include stopping job losses, creating new jobs, keeping people in education and stimulating consumer spending.”

The Dublin MEP added:

“In advance of the governments supplementary budget Sinn Fein will publish our proposals on job retention and creation in a document entitled “Unemployment is out of control - Time for Action” which sets out the key challenges and contains more than 60 proposals designed to keep as many workers as possible in the workforce, retrain those who have lost their jobs and specific measures to start creating new jobs.

“The economy can be turned around. Despite the difficulties there are still huge opportunities if the right plan is put in place and real leadership is shown. This is where the government is failing. And realistically the people that got us into this mess are unlikely to be the people to get us out of the problem. Different ideas require different people.” ENDS

Note to Editor on upcoming launches and events:

Thursday March 19th Dublin Public Meeting - Time for Action
Mary Lou McDonald will be joined by leading trade unionists at a public meeting in Dublin - Time for Action on Ireland’s soaring unemployment.

Monday March 23rd National Media Launch Job Creation
Economic Spokesperson Arthur Morgan, Mary Lou McDonald and Pádraig Mac Lochlainn will launch the party’s Job Creation proposal’s to the national media in Dublin.

The party will be publishing a its employment which will set out the key challenges and contain more than 60 proposals designed to keep as many workers as possible in the workforce, retrain those who have lost their jobs and specific measures to start creating new jobs.

Thursday March 26th National Media Launch Public Finance/Public Sector Savings
Economic Spokesperson Arthur Morgan and Mary Lou McDonald will launch the party’s public finance and public sector proposals.

Week commencing Monday March 30th Supplementary Budget Submission
Sinn Féin will be making a detailed submission to the government in advance of its Supplementary Budget due on April 7th. The submission will be based on Sinn Féin’s job creation, public sector and public finance proposals.