Protection from Brexit vital

The Government must protect jobs in the Mid-West from the worst impacts of Brexit, Ennis Councillor Johnny Flynn has stressed.

“The UK withdrawal from Europe places Irish jobs at risk; we have already seen due to the fall in value of sterling that there is a significant drop in tourists from UK. With tourism responsible for one of seven jobs in Clare I am concerned of the impact that that any plans to increase the VAT rate from 9% on tourism spend might have in Ennis and Clare.”

Clare and Ennis was very badly affected by the economic collapse in 2008 with huge increase in people signing on due to job losses. By 2012 there were 10,493 people unemployed in Clare, that figure is now 6075. The number of people signing on the Live Register in Ennis district alone has dropped by 2028 from 5859 to 3389 since 2012, Mr Flynn has learned.This news comes as the CSO revealed the number of people on the Live Register in June 2017 is also the lowest number recorded since 2008.

“Statistics can seem meaningless but I can see that increased availability of jobs has a real impact in Ennis and on communities all around the county. It’s amazing to see the difference in traffic early in the morning in and around Ennis with people making their way to work in town, Shannon, Limerick or Galway. I worked for over 25 years in Limerick and commuted every day.

“In addition to the benefit for the person at work every job created has a positive knock on effect for local businesses and services. Only a strong economy supporting people at work can provide the services needed to improve people’s lives,” he said.