Jobs Minister Mr Richard Bruton (FG) is expected to announce 200 new jobs for Clonmel, Co. Tipperary today. These new employment places are to be created by Eishtec, an outsourced contact centre based in Co Waterford and first established in 2011 to provide tailored solutions to business. This company now intend to establish of a custom built centre in Ard Gaoithe, in Clonmel. Recruitment is understood to begin immediately.
While this announcement is most welcome, earlier similar job pronouncements for Co. Tipperary over the past number of weeks, e.g. 300 new jobs long term at US generic drugs giant Amneal Pharmaceuticals; 152 jobs at ABP Food Group etc, have born little fruit to-date.
While unemployment figures for August 2015, (published by the CSO on September 5th, 2015) appear to show a drop for the first time in persons unemployed in Co. Tipperary, one cannot help wondering how much of this sudden drop is reflected in real job creation within the county.
When unemployment figures are viewed over a period of the past eight months; these same statistics do not make for exhilarating reading.
Unemployment figures for Co. Tipperary over the first 8 months of 2015
North Tipperary and Associated Towns – 2015
—Jan — Feb — Mar —- April — May — June — July —- Aug —–Town/Region
6,312 – 6,237 – 6,139 – 6,030 – 6,199 – 6,462 – 6,601 – 6,475. North Tipperary – [Increase = 163 persons].
2,568 – 2,497 – 2,465 – 2,446 – 2,529 – 2,635 – 2,658 – 2,589. Nenagh – [Increase = 21 persons].
1,166 – 1,168 – 1,138 – 1,119 – 1,164 – 1,187 – 1,246 – 1,213. Roscrea – [Increase = 47 persons].
2,578 – 2,572 – 2,536 – 2,465 – 2,506 – 2,640 – 2,697 – 2,673. Thurles – [Increase = 95 persons].South Tipperary and Associated Towns – 2015
—Jan — Feb — Mar —- April — May — June — July —- Aug —– Town/Region
7,864 – 7,786 – 7,681 – 7,595 – 7,809 – 7,998 – 8,110 – 7,957. South Tipperary – [Increase = 93 persons].
1,129 – 1,120 – 1,096 – 1,071 – 1,094 – 1,145 – 1,164 – 1,128. Cahir – [Decrease = 1 person].
1,685 – 1,674 – 1,650 – 1,625 – 1,663 – 1,697 – 1,719 – 1,688. Carrick-On-Suir – [Increase = 3 persons].
1,060 – 1,035 – 1,015 – 998 – 1,017 – 1,025 – 1,063 – 1,035. Cashel – [Decrease = 25 persons].
2,480 – 2,489 – 2,464 – 2,470 – 2,562 – 2,611 – 2,616 – 2,586. Clonmel – [Increase = 106 persons].
1,510 – 1,468 – 1,456 – 1,473 – 1,431 – 1,520 – 1,548 – 1,520. Tipperary (Town) – [Increase = 10 persons].
Current reigning Tipperary politicians will shortly be demanding our votes, based of their ‘vast experience’ and ‘proven competence’. The Tipperary electorate and particularly Thurles voters, on the other hand, will be waiting with ‘bated breath’.