As jobless numbers soar we need much more than ‘right climate’ for growth

The number of people out of work is edging to the 500,000 mark – the highest level in the entire history of this state.

This figure is testament to the failure of successive governments to tackle the scourge of unemployment. Down through the years we have had a plethora of reports, policy reviews, think-tanks and endless committees trying to find a solution.

But at the end of the day, the dole queues just keep growing. During the 1980s we had the safety valve of emigration, but this no longer applies as recession bites deep in the US and Britain.