Confidence in Government: Motion
Dail Éireann — 2026-04-14
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Simon Harris (FG), Wicklow

We have provided financial and other supports to households and businesses in a range of ways. We have deployed the State's balance sheet to maintain jobs, livelihoods and incomes. Each challenge the world has thrown at us we have emerged stronger from, despite it. The strength of the Irish economy is clearly evident in our labour market. Unemployment has remained below 5% for 16 consecutive quarters. This is a remarkable achievement given the global headwinds. That means that over 450,000 more people are now in employment that just before the pandemic. Around 57,000 of those jobs were added in the past 12 months alone: over 200 jobs every working day.
The strength of our labour market mirrors developments across the wider economy. Business investment is up and consumer spending is resilient. These are signs of continued confidence in our economy among firms and households despite a more uncertain backdrop.
As well as steering the economy through the challenges of recent years, our public finances are in good shape. The choices that matter most often get the least attention. In 2012, Ireland's public debt stood at 163% of national income.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-04-14/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-09-21T01:01:07+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-04-14