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"Let's get our young back to work"
- candidate
29.04.14
INISHOWEN local
election candidate Albert Doherty has called for a
jobs strategy to tackle Donegal's emigration and
unemployment crisis.
The Sinn Fein representative said the local
elections on May 23 would be "vitally important" for
the county after five years of recession.
“Emigration levels not seen since the 1980s or even
the 1950s have returned - scenes the likes of which
many of us thought we’d never see again with many
families, including my own, having children in the
United States, in Canada, in Australia, New Zealand
and in England," Mr Doherty told a gathering at the
launch of his campaign at Tul na Ri, Carndonagh. |
“In my own work as a
principal and as a teacher I’ve had the privilege of
teaching many hundreds of young people from this
community and it is sad to see so many have to leave
to find work.
“No plan exists for the replacement of the numerous
jobs that have been lost in the construction or
related sectors.
“At one point two thirds of the men employed in the
Carndonagh area worked in construction yet many in
this country are on long lists seeking local
authority housing. |
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Albert Doherty. |
Our community too has
its unfinished estates."
Mr Doherty's launch meeting was also addressed by
Sinn Fein TD for Donegal North East Padraig
McLochlainn and youth officer Rachel Coyle from
Malin Head.
“For too long this county has been lagging behind
others in respect of investment and jobs
opportunities," added Mr Doherty. He outlined his
local campaign platform and said he is standing for
a dual carriageway link from Donegal to Dublin;
investment in local health and ambulance services;
support for small businesses; an Inishowen tourism
plan and an employment project for young people
including the retro-fitting of houses to get
construction workers back to work. |
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