MOST FORECASTERS were predicting a turnaround in employment, although growth projections were fragile and uncertain, Minister for Jobs Richard Bruton said.

He said that up to 17,100 additional people were at work at the end of last month compared to the end of June.

“The jobs initiative began in July, so the employment trends do not prove it has been a failure,” he added.

Mr Bruton was replying to Fianna Fáil’s Willie O’Dea, who claimed the initiative had failed.

“In net terms, no new jobs have been created while the unemployment rate has gone up,” he said.

Mr O’Dea claimed that every projected growth rate over the next two years would be insufficient to create more employment.

Mr Bruton replied that the increase in employment was the first of significant scale.

“It is influenced by seasonal factors,” he said. “However, even on a seasonal basis it represents an increase in private sector employment for the first time since the recession started.”

The slowdown and reversal of the employment trends this year was encouraging, said Mr Bruton.

“However, the recovery is fragile. That is why the Government has set economic recovery and job creation at the heart of its work programmes,” he added.

Challenged by Mr O’Dea the Minister said he did not regard the figures as a cause for adulation.

“However, in the past three years, when the deputy’s party was in government, 350,000 jobs were lost,” he responded.