The programme for Government contains a commitment to the creation of jobs nationwide. I must acknowledge the changes which the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Heather Humphreys, has introduced at the IDA resulting in a new focus by that agency on the Border region. As the Taoiseach is aware, I have pointed out on numerous occasions in the House that the north west is the worst performing region in terms of jobs growth. Can we expect this new focus at the IDA to continue and can we expect more job announcements in the north west in the future?

I was pleased yesterday to see that unemployment has fallen below 6% and now stands at 5.9% for the first time in more than ten years. In County Leitrim the live register figures have fallen from 3,640 in 2011 to 1,965 now, and in Sligo they have fallen from 5,543 to 3,302 now. We are seeing a very significant fall in unemployment in both counties, and if one takes the Border counties as a whole, unemployment is now below the national average. I acknowledge, however, that there has been slow progress in securing employment growth and IDA-based jobs in particular in Sligo. It is very much part of the focus of the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation to make sure that as many IDA and Enterprise Ireland supported jobs as possible are created outside of the Dublin area and she has made some great progress in that regard. The majority of new jobs supported by both agencies are being created outside of Dublin now. We need to continue in that vein and the Minister will do so to ensure that we have employment growth and good jobs in Sligo.