The President of the Workers’ Party, Michael Donnelly, has said that the level of unemployment in the state is being deceitfully disguised through the “disappearing” of 85,000 people who are engaged on the government’s so-called activation programmes.

Reacting to the release of the monthly Live Register figures for February, Mr. Donnelly, said that true extent of unemployment is hidden in the annex to the report which shows that the real figure would stand at more than 440,000 if those on activation schemes such as JobBridge, Community Employment, Back to Work Schemes and other such measures were included.

Mr. Donnelly said, “Today the government is crowing that it is on track to reducing unemployment below 10% by year’s end but the coalition’s figures do not stand up to scrutiny. They have swept a whole generation under a dense carpet of deceit”.

“It is pointless talking about solving unemployment in this country unless we are prepared to discuss the quality of employment being created, its sustainability and how it is funded.  The flat refusal of the state to countenance direct job creation leaves it with no option but to throw hundreds of millions of euro at employers who are more interested in profit than job creation.” said Mr. Donnelly.