merrion street

The Minister of State for Training and Skills, Ciarán Cannon, T.D., today opened a “Training and Recruitment Fair” in Ballinasloe, Co. Galway.

The Fair is a co-ordinated and co-operative approach by local agencies to provide high quality and timely information in relation to the training, education, work experience and job opportunities available.

It reflects the Government’s actions to address unemployment, such as the Springboard Programme in the higher education sector and the establishment of SOLAS, the new national training agency.

Ciarán Cannon noted the range of initiatives and actions being undertaken at a national level, and said that “since taking up office in March, this Government has substantially increased the resources aimed at tackling employment”.

The Government is prioritising four cohorts of the unemployed:

1. The low skilled

2. Those under 35 years of age

3. Those on the Live Register for longer than one year

4. Those suffering from structural unemployment in the manufacturing, construction and retail sectors

Minister Cannon noted that the current challenges faced by the country “require a concerted and coherent response.

“We must all work together to provide the necessary support and help to those who need it most in our communities”.

The Minister congratulated all those involved in the Fair, saying that it “is testament to the community’s willingness and ability to support and assist unemployed people in this area”.