Jobs taskforce ‘defunct’ after one meeting

A TASKFORCE set up last January to tackle spiralling unemployment, and which has only met once, has no plans to meet again and is essentially “defunct”, it has emerged.

Last month, the Irish Examiner revealed the high-level group on labour market issues, chaired by Taoiseach Brian Cowen’s department, had met only once since it was set up last January.

However, with the latest CSO data showing that the unemployment rate has almost trebled from 4.6% to 12.7% in just two years, it appears the work of the taskforce is now done after just one meeting.