Its hoped increased investment in Clare’s tourism sector will lead to a year-round boost in employment in the west and north of the county.
The latest figures from the CSO suggest that while the level of unemployment in Ennis has hit a 9-year low, areas outside the county town have been slow to feel the benefits of the economic recovery.
Last month saw a marginal rise in the number of people claiming some form of unemployment in Clare, with 5,445 people on the Live Register – 54 more than the previous month.
Ennis was the only area to see a fall-off in numbers, with unemployment in the county town now at its lowest level since 2008.
Mayor of Ennis, Fine Gael’s Paul Murphy saying the benefits of the economic recovery are becoming clear in the town.
But the picture isn’t as bright elsewhere in the county.
The most significant change came in North Clare, where an additional 68 people joined the dole queues in October, while West Clare experienced a rise of 33 and a further 10 people signed on in the east of the county.
West and North Clare traditionally see a slight fall off in employment levels at the end of the tourist season but Spanish Point Fianna Fáil Councillor Michael Hillery believes this can be tackled.
Overall, the figure for Clare is the lowest for the month of October since 2008 and represents a 46% drop on it’s peak in 2010.
Meanwhile, research carried out at NUI Galway shows that job creation in rural Ireland continues to pose a major challenge.
Prof Cathal O’Donoghue, who is the Dean of Arts at NUI Galway, headed up the research and says a balanced approach to investment is badly needed.
