Pre-election jobs promises fool’s gold, claims Kenny

THE Taoiseach and Tánaiste’s “Golden Thursday” promise of 700 jobs before the general election has turned out to be fool’s gold, Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny claimed yesterday.

Bertie Ahern promised 300 jobs for the empty GSI plant in Macroom before the election, but the plant is still empty.

And when Mary Harney announced 1,000 new jobs for Galway, Limerick and Birr in April 2002, she dubbed the day "Golden Thursday". But the 400 jobs promised for the Thompson Netg plants in Birr and Limerick have not materialised, according to Mr Kenny. "This is another example of hollow promises, like former minister Woods's promises on the school buildings programme, that this government were happy to peddle before the election last year," he said.