More than 300 jobs have been created in south-east Co Limerick and north Cork as a result of the activities of a local development agency.
Mr Sonny Ward, chairman of Ballyhoura Development said: "The achievement of the Bally hour a Local Development Programme in 1998 would be head line-grabbing if all of the 344 previously unemployed persons were employed in one location in Ballyhoura country. They are spread throughout our small communities." The jobs range from landscape gardening, sign-making, painting, manufacturing preserves to secretarial work.
With a population of 55,547 dispersed in 50 communities, Mr Ward said agriculture, the processing of agricultural produce and services to agriculture accounted for 67 per cent of total employment.
"With the reform of CAP, it is expected that 2,500 existing jobs on small farms will be at risk and will be lost by the year 2006. Given this projected decline in the sector, coupled with the high dependence on agriculture, the challenge to maintain current employment levels is enormous."
Mr Ward said there was limited access to finance for those long-term unemployed who wished to start in business and, for those who did manage to set up, there was a lack of ongoing support and guidance. There was also a lack of incentives for long-term unemployed to look for work.
Based in Kilfinane, Ballyhoura Development is funded primarily by the EU, the Exchequer and local funding. The main areas of population in the Ballyhoura catchment area are Kilfinane, Kilmallock, Hospital, Ballylanders, Mitchelstown and Charleville.