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Male unemployment in Inishowen up 62% 11.03.08

by Damian Dowds, Inishowen Independent

Male unemployment in the Inishowen area has risen by a whopping 62% in the past two years, figures released by the Central Statistics Office have revealed.
There were 845 men signing on the live register in Buncrana in February 2006, which increased by 520 to 1,365 by February 2008. Remarkably, the number of women signing on has remained static with an increase of just five, from 740 in February 2006 to 745 last month.
“These are quite stark figures and because the increase in primarily among men, it’s evidently coming from the slowdown in construction and related sectors,” said John McCarter, chairman of the Inishowen Development Partnership.
“It’s not just affecting developers and builders, its also hitting ancillary trades like electricians and plumbers.”
“The numbers are on par with the closure of a factory,” Mr McCarter continued, “but because they are happening across the board they aren’t seen as single big event and are only revealed in the live register figures.”
Overall, Buncrana recorded a 33% increase in unemployment in the two years to February 2006 rising from 1,585 to 2,110. Donegal’s unemployment level rose by 14% to 9,957 while the State saw a 19% increase in the same period.
With reports from across Inishowen of young men travelling to England and Australia in search of work, fears are rising that we may see a re-run of the emigration that blighted the peninsula in the 1980s and early 1990s.
“People will follow the work, and if it’s in London or wherever they will follow it,” Mr McCarter said.
“The State and semi-state sector need to work hard to address the situation,” Mr McCarter opined. “And there’s no doubt that the negative noises we’ve heard emanating from official sources about the Marine Rescue Centre at Malin Head are not helpful.”
“The Department produced a very negative report on facilities and amenities in the peninsula that would discourage potential entrepreneurs from investing here.”
“The Inishowen Development Partnership has gone to some lengths to refute the falsehoods in the report, but the rundown of the Malin Head station would send a very negative message.”

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