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Enda Kenny at the launch of the sixth Action Plan for Jobs launch today. Leon Farrell/Photocall Ireland

Bruton: Welcomes Action Plan for Jobs progress but people are still struggling

Figures show that the unemployment rate has dropped below 14 per cent for the first time since 2010.

THE GOVERNMENT HAS published its sixth Action Plan for Jobs progress report – a plan they implemented to help rebuild the economy after 250,000 jobs were lost following the collapse of the economy.

It shows that 160 out of 180 measures they promised would be delivered in April, May and June this year have been implemented – a success rate of 89 per cent.

Among the measures delivered were:

  • JobsPlus – a scheme to provide regular cash payments to employers to offset wage costs where they employ people who have been on the Live Register for over 12 months.
  • A new €175 million ‘Seed and Venture Capital Scheme’, aimed at leveraging private sector funds to provide a total of €700 million in funding to Irish companies with the potential to grow employment.
  • The start of a roll-out of 31 local enterprise offices across the country.
  • Additional reviewers for the Credit Review Office recruited to help improve credit supply for small business.
  • The launched of a ‘National Step Change Initiative’ for manufacturing businesses, as part of a plan to supply 20,000 additional jobs in this sector.

Minister for Jobs Richard Bruton explained that of the 20 projects which did not meet their targets, a few missed it “by a whisker”.


If viewing on a mobile device, please click here to listen to this clip

Since the Action Plan for Jobs was rolled out in early 2012, official employment figures show that the private sector has been adding an average of more than 2,000 jobs per month.

The figures also show that the unemployment rate has dropped from 14.1 per cent to 13.7 per cent – the first time since 2010 it has gone below 14 per cent.

The numbers of people unemployed has dropped below 300,000 for the first time since 2010, while the long-term unemployment rate has fallen from 9.5 per cent to 8.4 per cent in the past year.

The Minister Bruton said they are starting to see real progress with the plan to rebuild the economy after 250,000 jobs were lost during the collapse of the economy  but he acknowledged that “many people have yet to feel the effects of this progress and that many people are really struggling”.

Since the Action Plan for Jobs was first put in place an average of 2,000 jobs per month are being created in the private sector. Irish and multinational exporting companies had record years in 2012, and recent figures show that this strong performance is continuing in 2013, with major announcements by companies like Glanbia, eBay and Symantec, added the jobs minister.

Read: 75 new regional jobs created through reward scheme>

More: Government launches plan to get 75,000 unemployed back to work>

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44 Comments
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    Mute Barry O'Neill
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    Jul 19th 2013, 11:54 AM

    Unemployment figures are meaningless. Employment figures are what we should be told. Unemployment is drastically affected by emigration.

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    Mute Simon Barnes
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    Jul 19th 2013, 1:11 PM

    http://www.cso.ie/en/statistics/labourmarket/principalstatistics/

    This only shows the year to year but up to 2012 the amount in employment is steadily going down

    25
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    Mute Andrew Telford
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    Jul 19th 2013, 1:21 PM

    But, but, but… net emigration is still negative. Those emigrating out of the country are replaced by larger numbers immigrating into the country.

    Your one buzz word argument has no merit.

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    Mute GatheringYourMoney
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    Jul 20th 2013, 12:05 AM

    “But people are still struggling”???

    Understatement of the year Mr Minister For Jobs.

    Do you live in Ireland Richard?

    5
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    Mute Angela Coll
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    Jul 19th 2013, 11:58 AM

    Where are the figures for emigration for the last 4 years?

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    Mute Ronan C Gantly
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    Jul 20th 2013, 1:02 AM

    They dont have any as there is no process where you ‘sign out ‘ of ireland !! ( which suits them perfectly)

    6
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    Mute Mel Finn
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    Jul 19th 2013, 12:02 PM

    oooh is this anything to do with the amount of our younger generation being forced to move away. government stats dont usually bother me as we know there padded with exageration .but this one always makes me heave

    63
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    Mute Maurice Code
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    Jul 19th 2013, 12:04 PM

    they still never said where these jobs are coming from? Jobs (scam) Bridge perhaps? A bit of slave labour will sort these guys out, I bet they say at these Dail meetings…

    57
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    Mute sean
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    Jul 19th 2013, 12:09 PM

    these minister’s would have you believe your own sh1t doesn’t stink .

    out of the jobs mentions above in ebay , symantec , how many of them will be given to some of those contrcustion workers whom lost their job as a result of the boom

    I’d say none , considering , the likely hood of many of the construction workers will not even have as much as a leaving cert , never mind a second langauge .
    start by addressing that issue , and we might just get somewhere ,

    50point plan me tits

    54
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    Mute Killjoy
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    Jul 19th 2013, 12:40 PM

    Is that really the government’s responsibility though?

    12
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    Mute Simon Barnes
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    Jul 19th 2013, 1:15 PM

    Well seeing as the government is out there touting for companies to locate here . It would be of great interest and benefit for them to make sure they have the qualified workforce.

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    Mute sean
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    Jul 19th 2013, 1:42 PM

    yes Killjoy it is , there no point pumping a billion euro’s into fas every year and getting little or nothing in return ,
    with that sort of money FAS should be able to diversify , and prioritise for the areas most need , at the moment IT and Langauges are 2 of the biggest ,
    yet you cannot do a langauge in FAS ,
    and well as for IT , ECDL and PC maintenance , just ain’t gonna cut it
    FAS is a state body , so yes the gov is responsible

    24
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    Mute Ignoreland
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    Jul 19th 2013, 3:32 PM

    Fás doesn’t exist any more so there’s not billions being pumped into it.
    As for construction workers, the harsh reality is that the numbers that were employed in construction during the ‘boom times’ were unsustainable as they were building properties for a market that was likewise unsustainable. And we’ll never be able to employ that many construction workers again, nor should we because then we’d be in the middle of another property bubble and heading for another crash.
    Unfortunately this means a lot of construction workers will have to re-train. For those with a degree say in engineering it shouldn’t be too bad as they will have a good and proven understanding of maths so they would be employable in lots of areas, e.g. finance, technology, research and development. It’s such jobs that the government should be seeking to attract to Ireland.

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    Mute Steve Hardy
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    Jul 19th 2013, 12:28 PM

    Here’s my action plan for jobs, election followed by new government

    33
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    Mute Rick MacRory
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    Jul 19th 2013, 12:48 PM

    Steve
    I’ll fall for it. You obviously have a preferred Party for the next Election who will create more than two thousand jobs a month and they’re just waiting for the chance! Who are they and pray tell us some of the ideas …….or simply stop spouting.

    12
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    Mute WanderArch
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    Jul 19th 2013, 12:54 PM

    What would that do exactly? New government = new jobs? Sure you’ve solved the worlds economic problems right there so. Quick, everyone change government, it’ll all be fixed then tomorrow.
    Oh wait, what about Africa, or the Middle East, where the average lifespan of a government is 4 days, sure they’d be flying along ahead of the rest of us like…!
    What we need is a government who isn’t going to “spend everything while they have it”, thus leaving us with about as much cash flow potential as an overdrawn bank account. FF, I wouldn’t trust with 2 copper cents and a piece of paper. SF are apparently going to pilfer any wallet that still contains anything worth anything and hand it to someone else. The indo’s aren’t currently realistic because of the system that’s there (although, given their calibre, that’s probably a good thing). FG and LAB, yeah they’re not the best (far from it), but without major political reform, they’re probably the best going from a bad lot.
    We need serious imagination and reform, and we don’t have that, even in the alternative options. An election is going to change nothing.

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    Mute Steve Hardy
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    Jul 19th 2013, 12:56 PM

    Rick,
    So you are completely happy with the present government and are 100% sure that we can’t do any better. Times have change and I don’t believe the government have a mandate any more, so election and if people return the same people then fine.

    23
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    Mute Steve Hardy
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    Jul 19th 2013, 1:01 PM

    WanderArch,

    If you don’t think a change in government can have a change in the unemployment numbers then why would it matter to you who is government.

    7
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    Mute WanderArch
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    Jul 19th 2013, 1:07 PM

    A change in government would not have a change in unemployment numbers. A change in thinking would.
    What you forget is that governments come and go. The establishment remains.

    20
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    Mute Steve Hardy
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    Jul 19th 2013, 1:13 PM

    Ok,

    So how about this,

    Cut the minimum wage, cut the public service bill, cut social welfare spending, cut the costs involved in employing people, cut the corporation tax rates.

    All really unpopular so we’ll continue to tax the bejesus out of the people in the middle

    8
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    Mute WanderArch
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    Jul 19th 2013, 1:24 PM

    Minimum wage was cut, it was reinstated, because nobody can realistically live on 7.65ph if working full time. (15,912pa v 17,992).
    “Public service bill” is being (and has been) reduced through CPA and HRA.
    SW bill is effectively reduced on account of doing more with similar amounts of funding.
    Corporation taxes are incredibly low in this country, as was demonstrated a few weeks ago with US and GB demanding tougher laws on domicile bases specifically so that companies can’t thread their tax dues through tax havens. (Ireland apparently being mooted as one).
    We are being led to believe that the cost of employing someone is reducing, and we can only believe this considering the number of supplemented positions being made available.
    Next batch of great ideas please.

    10
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    Mute Steve Hardy
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    Jul 19th 2013, 1:39 PM

    If nobody can live on 7.65ph then how can somebody live on 4.50ph the unemployment assistance rate?
    Can the public service bill be reduced anymore by any chance, maybe an across the board pay cut.
    Why should the base corporation tax rate be so high, nothing stopping the government lowering especially for companies employing high numbers.
    The cost to employers of simply employing people is prohibitive, Prsi etc..

    5
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    Mute WanderArch
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    Jul 19th 2013, 1:51 PM

    You’re doing exactly what the government are doing. You’re focusing on things that you really shouldn’t be focusing on. Think outside the box.
    Up-skill those in work already. Why focus on those not in work, sure there are no jobs for them, so why try up-skill them for jobs that don’t exist? Up-skill those in work, promote them, move those on the live register into the lower jobs.
    Promote entrepreneurship. Provide proper accredited courses, instead of the current Micky-mouse ones, that actually mean a bank can have faith in the entrepreneur and provide loan access. That’d be fairly cheap – the system could be set up in the IT’s and HEI’s, with courses taught by actual lecturers and teachers. Provide proper interaction with the institution to ensure as a high a pass rate as possible.
    Remove the job-bridge and the innumerable other schemes – they’re not providing adequate results. Use the funding that was going there to the new setup.
    Loose the VTOS, VEC and FAS training centres, bring them all under one body, and provide proper supports to those wishing to up-skill.
    Qualifying periods should be abandoned (why should we stop someone who has only been on the dole for 2months from bettering themselves, all because the qualifying period was 6months).
    That’s what I’m talking about. Proper, top down, bottom up, turn it all about reform that you can be proud of.
    But hey, your way could work… Eventually.

    16
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    Mute Steve Hardy
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    Jul 19th 2013, 2:01 PM

    Why not do both

    2
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    Mute WanderArch
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    Jul 19th 2013, 2:06 PM

    Because we’re currently doing the first option – which isn’t working. If its not working then why carry on with it?

    10
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    Mute Ignoreland
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    Jul 19th 2013, 3:34 PM

    The Government have a mandate to implement the EU/IMF programme. Both Labour and FG said in their manifestos that they would stick by its parameters. As did FF and the Greens. So like it or not, the Irish people voted by a huge majority for austerity. Either that, or people didn’t read their manifestos or any of the party’s literature, or any of the debates or media coverage during the election…

    1
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    Mute John Enright
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    Jul 19th 2013, 5:43 PM

    You mean a fourth pay cut? Why don’t you put every public servant on 20 grand a year and force all public servants to live in ghettoes, you know like Hitler did to the Jews in Poland .

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    Mute Sheik Yahbouti
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    Jul 20th 2013, 2:28 AM

    I cite Godwin’s law. You have rubbished your own argument.

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    Mute Sheik Yahbouti
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    Jul 20th 2013, 2:33 AM

    Sorry, that was to John enright below

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    Mute Anita OGalligan
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    Jul 26th 2013, 11:49 AM

    What new government? People have very short memories. This is why I fear the public will bring FF back in
    2015. They were the ones who brought the country to it’s kneels. It’s a big mess still to clear up after these con men were chucked out.

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    Mute Shane O Malley
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    Jul 19th 2013, 12:16 PM

    the seasonally massaged unemployment figures brought to courtesy of visiting las vegas hookers

    25
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    Mute Hedley Lamarr
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    Jul 19th 2013, 12:50 PM

    Mad Kenny off on a ” There are known knowns. These are things we know that we know. There are known unknowns. That is to say, there are things that we know we don’t know. But there are also unknown unknowns. There are things we don’t know we don’t know” kind of buzz., They all went mad in Ireland in the boom That was a good one.

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    Mute 3monkey
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    Jul 19th 2013, 12:36 PM

    Smoke and mirrors

    14
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    Mute Paul Smith
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    Jul 19th 2013, 1:41 PM

    Jesus they defo get an A+ on the scorecards for producing plans but they unfortunately get a NG for action done,

    13
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    Mute Brigid
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    Jul 19th 2013, 1:09 PM

    I lost my job on Thursday over this new plan .. cheaper labour for the employer!! So now I’m on the dole they took one off to put another on welfare payments … the people who are on the dole longer then 2-3 years are lazy people that don’t want to work !!! And I’m sure a lot more will loose der jobs over this !!! Well done again to ye people running this country !!!

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    Mute Keith Wade
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    Jul 19th 2013, 2:51 PM

    Does nobody realise that the reason there is less people on the live register is because people are leaving the country and not because of more jobs being created

    12
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    Mute MrKnow
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    Jul 19th 2013, 2:06 PM

    This plan is just mainly going to include jobsbridge and really low payed internships. It’s the brainchild of the troika and I tell you why, they know they couldn’t lower the minium wage with tax increases because people would eventually take a stand against it but with this plan they can get 90% of the 75k people on €3.60 an hour jobs and do it legally. It’s the new buzz word on the streets and companies are loving the cheap labour coming there way, the government are now in the process of putting a plan to bloat the rate of people “being hired” to make it look a success. Companies can afford to hire someone on just over 3 euro an hour, not 8. So in that regard it makes Ireland more competitive with Europe because there will be a army of despite cheap labour waiting when they come here. Fas will be delighted because they can now but cut there cost in training people. I never disagreed with people trying to get trained and get work, but i see this for what it is, a scam. The government have turned working people against unemployed and private service against public service so there plan will work.

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    Mute Alan Carroll
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    Jul 19th 2013, 3:37 PM

    As a FORCED exile I do not see any change in employment opportunities in Ireland other than the governments TALK of falling unemployment numbers. Enda just because you sprayed deodorant on it doesn’t mean you are clean !

    9
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    Mute Patrick
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    Jul 19th 2013, 1:12 PM

    Read between the lines more jobs for political appointees and absolutely no thought or vision in the implementing of this, more of the same…..

    9
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    Mute Robbie Henry
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    Jul 19th 2013, 3:59 PM

    These JobPlus and JobBridge schemes are nothing but scams. They do nothing but massage the Live Register figures to make us look like angels compared to Spain, Italy and Portugal.

    The cost of these schemes is still paid through the social welfare, and not the cost of the “employing” company which has made it impossible for me, an unemployed student, to get a job. Why would a local employer hire me on minimum wage when he can go with JobScam and hire someone for €50 a week?

    7
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    Mute Jean Smith
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    Jul 19th 2013, 1:06 PM

    These schemes are fine , and will work as long as retraining courses are made available….sorry relevant retraining courses. In college last year it was great to see so many mature students re-skilling from all past experiences, construction, retail,communication amongst others. These schemes should encourage a variety of businesses as a reliance on one sector (such as exports/construction) could cause another boom/bust situation.

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    Mute Eggfuel
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    Jul 19th 2013, 2:04 PM

    Where r the links to avail of these new business venture schemes anyone ?????

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    Mute Joe Lafferty
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    Jul 19th 2013, 3:19 PM

    Here is an idea, sign up for CERN membership, the cost of which is tied to economic output. Estimates are €12M per year for Ireland right now. In return, Irish companies could compete for large contracts up to the value of €500M. With our large global IT infrastructure here, we could conceivably at the very least recoup our investment easily. In turn, this would strengthen our footprint in Scientific field globally, our students would get easier access to this project, secondary industries and services would benefit. It really is a no brainer.

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    Mute Joe Lafferty
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    Jul 19th 2013, 3:20 PM
    1
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