Minister Hanafin wants unemployed to seek further training

The Minister for Social and Family Affairs has said she is taking steps to tackle the growing rate of unemployment.

Additional facilitators are now in place in social welfare offices around the country to help recipients access training and development.

The latest figures from the Central Statistics Office, released yesterday, reveal that unemployment has risen to 6.1%.

Mary Hanafin has said the current climate is very hard for people who are out of work.

‘It’s a very difficult time for anyone who loses their job and people are finding that their skills are not suitable for the employment that is available there now.

‘I would envisage appointing more facilitators in our local offices to put a greater effort into getting people into education,’ she said.