“Just last week it was revealed that Tallaght has one of the worst unemployment rates in the state behind only Cork City, Limerick City and Waterford. There are currently 10,662 people on the live register in Tallaght and now 400 jobs are at risk at the Citywest Hotel.

“I think we can safely describe Tallaght as an unemployment black spot which needs special attention from the Government. The manufacturing sector which traditionally provided lots of jobs in Tallaght went with the loss of Jacobs, Gallaghers and Fruitfields and now we could be losing a significant number of jobs in the services industry.

“There must be specific training courses made available to Tallaght’s unemployed community to train people to work in new and emerging industries, and these industries must be fostered and invested in.

“While the jobs crisis is a state wide problem there are certain areas that have been hit severely and need specific attention. Tallaght is one of these priority areas and I am calling on the Government to urgently bring forward an active strategy to encourage new investment and tackle the continued haemorrhaging of new and traditional jobs in this community.” ENDS