BATT O'KEEFFE, EDUCATION MINISTER:

"I am very much aware of the unemployment challenges in North Cork and am in constant contact with the Enterprise Minister and the relevant

"State job creation agencies about targeting investment in the area and generating new employment. Economic adjustment has been sudden and severe and I know from walking the streets of North Cork and from listening to people attending my constituency clinics that the human toll has been considerable.

"North Cork has been hit hard by the global recession - but the Government is endeavouring to support those who find themselves out of work with a series of labour market activation measures. Officials from my department are working closely with officials from other government departments on developing innovative responses to the unemployment challenge."

NED O'KEEFFE, FIANNA FÁIL TD:

"These figures are catastrophic.

"A lot of jobs have been lost in the food industry in particular across north Cork due to some decisions taken within individual companies and others were lost as a direct result of EU directives.

"One step that has to be taken is to lower our cost base to make Ireland competitive. I have always said that we were relying too heavily on the construction industry to bolster our economy and events have shown I was right. We must learn a lesson from this and diversify our employment base."

MICHAEL MOYNIHAN, FIANNA FÁIL TD:

"The global economic downturn has hit North Cork hard, and my heart goes out to the families that are struggling to keep up their mortgages or pay their rent and meet their bills."

"I am also deeply concerned about the local businesses that are under pressure and that are so important to the local economy," he said.

"At the same time, I am confident that the Government has taken the strong and difficult steps necessary to stabilise the Irish economy and set the stage for growth.

"Until then, we must keep struggling families afloat through these hard times. To that end, I have lobbied strongly for Government's statutory Code of Conduct on Mortgage Arrears, under which the major banks increased their flexibility in dealing with homeowners and I continue to push for more to be done to protect people holding mortgages. It is also crucial, in this difficult year, that entitlements and grants owing to farmers are paid as promptly as possible, and I have also pressed this case strongly throughout the year.

"I remain confident that North Cork will be well able to capitalise on the economic potential that will be released in the coming economic turnaround."

SEÁN SHERLOCK, LABOUR TD:

"The bottom line here is that we need to get people back to work, but we are hearing no real talk of job creation or economic stimulus from the government. It is my opinion that this lack of action is rapidly creating a situation where the country is becoming virtually ungovernable.

"I am currently lobbying for measures to be implemented by the government to improve the FÁS workplace programme to take young unemployed people off the dole queue and give them a meaningful training place with a reputable company.

"I am also lobbying for an amendment to the bio-fuels bill to allow for increased investment in companies which would be locally based and would help meet our responsibilities under the bio-fuel obligation as well as creating badly needed jobs.

"We have a willing workforce and an abundance of natural resources at our disposal, but the government do seem willing or able to turn combine these to create

employment."

DAVID STANTON, FINE GAEL TD:

"These figures are truly shocking and highlight an issue that should be given the highest priority by the government.

"The very real tragedy is that so many of these people are under 25 and the figures do not take into account the thousands of young people who have already been forced to emigrate.

"People have a lot to offer and we as public representatives have a duty to ensure that this potential is realised, for the good of society as a whole and the self-esteem of individuals who have no jobs and no hope.

We need imagination and innovation to effetely tackle the problem, attributes that the current government simply does have. It is crystal clear that they have run out of ideas and do not possess the drive and determination to tackle this issue head on."

MICHAEL CREED, FINE GAEL TD:

"Behind these alarming figures are families and young people desperate for hope that there are jobs on the horizon.

"Sadly, Fianna Fáil and the Greens are providing little in the way of a solution to this crisis, which is largely of their creation. Fine Gael have put forward a comprehensive, innovative and costed jobs stimulus plan, New Era, which will create over a 100,000 jobs.

"There is a disturbing lack of urgency on behalf of the Government to address the jobs crisis, in order to improve the situation of all those who sign on on a weekly basis. Fianna Fáil have parents raising their children for export."