Waterford Workers’ Party Councillor Davy Walsh has expressed alarm at the latest jobless figures for Waterford which show a 15% rise for the county as a whole with an additional 1,100 workers joining the dole queue in Waterford city in the month of June alone.

Councillor Walsh said that the figures sharply contradict the government’s attempts to play down the spiralling economic crisis, quoting the Taoiseach’s comments yesterday he said, “It may not be Armageddon for the economy, but it is a deep crisis for the nine thousand Waterford people who are now unemployed and for their families who have to make ends meet”

“This latest blow for Waterford  highlights the importance of saving jobs such as those at Waterford Crystal and proceeding with developments such as the North Wharf and brewery areas of the city, the second bridge over the Suir and for the Gateway innovations funds to come on stream.  Minister Martin Cullen has been too slow reacting to this situation and I would now call on him to get the finger out and do his job for Waterford”, said Cllr. Walsh.

Issued 4th July 2008