Galway firms urged to avail of JobsPlus funds

Local Labour Deputy Derek Nolan has called on Galway businesses to make use of the new JobsPlus scheme, rolled out by the Government in its latest effort to tackle the jobs crisis.

The scheme gives employers who hire persons unemployed for greater than one year up to €10,000 for each recruit. The payment offsets some of the cost of taking on a new employee.

“JobsPlus represents a hugely positive step by Minister Joan Burton in getting those in long-term unemployment back to work by supporting business that hires them. I encourage Galway firms to make as much use of the scheme as possible,” said the Galway West TD.

Speaking on the importance that the initiative will have on small and medium enterprises in Galway, Deputy Nolan added: “It is imperative that we recognise the crucial role that SME’s play in creating employment in Galway. They are the backbone of the economy and crucial to our recovery. I recently carried out a survey of businesses in Galway West and one of the most common problems facing the sector is the costs of hiring new staff.

“The JobsPlus programme will tackle that problem. It will also provide businesses throughout Galway with cash incentives so that they can employ new staff and grow the local economy.

Nolan added. “Importantly, this scheme is targeted at hiring those who have been out of work for over a year. We know that during hard economic times, long periods without a job becomes harder and harder for jobseekers to break. The targeting of this funding is to make sure that nobody gets left behind in the job market simply because they have been looking for a long time.”