by Kevin Kelly, Inishowen Independent
THE latest figures depicting the numbers signing on
the Live Register in Inishowen show the peninsula’s
jobless crisis has deepened, with the 5,000 barrier
being broken for the first time and young men the
worst affected.
Young men aged between 18 and 25 have been worst
affected, with the number signing on in Buncrana
trebling from 247 in January 2009 to 777 in January
2010. Across the county this age group accounts for
almost a quarter of the 21,473 now signing on.
The collapse of the construction sector across the
country has been cited as the main reason for the
increase in male unemployment. At the Buncrana
office men make up account for 3,522 of the overall
total while women account for 1,483.
In the last month, an additional 125 people
presented themselves at the Social Welfare Office to
register for unemployment payments bringing the
total to 5,005. This is continuing a trend that has
seen the numbers claiming some form of unemployment
assistance in the peninsula increase by over 1,000
people in the past year, or 27% in percentage terms.
Commenting on the latest figures Senator Cecilia
Keaveney said: “It is a major disappointment to
witness such increases in the Live Register both
locally and nationally.”
“The trend is not unique to Buncrana,” Keaveney
said. “There has been a very high level of
dependence on retail and construction in Donegal,
and these are sectors which have been hit very hard
by the recession and therefore it means we have been
particularly vulnerable in Donegal.”
Inishowen Sinn Fein Councillor Pádraig MacLochlainn
said: “With unemployment levels in the peninsula now
reaching 5,000, the Minister for Enterprise needs to
get real about unemployment and immediately
implement a strategy for job creation. Her
Government has sat on their hands as our community
has struggled to cope with the economic crisis with
almost one in three out of work.”
The Fianna Fail Senator expressed concern about the
lack of geographical spread of the training being
offered by FÁS. “With training centres in
Letterkenny or Gweedore, my anecdotal evidence would
suggest that more needs to be done,” Keaveney said,
adding: “The Government are taking pro-active steps
in the area of sustaining enterprise through the
current downturn. These include things like the
“Enterprise Stabilisation Fund”, which provides
grants of up to €500,000 for businesses which have a
viable long term future, but may be vulnerable in
the short term.”
However, Councillor MacLochlainn rejects the claim
that the Government is doing enough to create jobs
in Inishowen. “Minister Coughlan and her Government
have shown the people of Inishowen that they are in
no way serious or committed to us in terms of
creating employment and getting people back to
work,” he said. “Figures recently released to Sinn
Féin by the Tánaiste’s Department show that of the
1,740 site visits hosted by the IDA in 2009 only
three were made to Donegal, all of which were in
Letterkenny. This shows the clear lack of commitment
the Minister has to her own county and in
particular, Inishowen.”
In Donegal overall, there is a similar trend in
relation to the figures for those signing on to the
Live Register. In January 2009, there were just over
16,750 people signing on. According to the latest
statistics this figure in January 2010 has risen by
23% to 21,473, a rise of more than 4,700. |
