by Damian Dowds, Inishowen
Independent
HAVING peaked at 4,852 in July, the number of
people signing on the dole in Inishowen has
dropped for a third successive month and stood
at 4,604 in October. That's a fall of just over
5% in that three month period.
However, the Live Register has grown by 55% over
the past 12 months and has almost trebled from
the 1,623 recorded as signing on in October
2007.
CSO figures show that the Live Register in
Inishowen grew for 15 consecutive months from
May 2008 until July 2009, but has fallen in
August, September and October.
Men are faring worse than women when it comes to
losing work. They account for 72% of the
increase here in the 12 months to October 2009.
Of the 1,625 new social welfare claimants over
the past 12 months, men accounted for 1,175
while women accounted for 450.
And reports over the weekend showed that waiting
times for Job Seekers’ Allowance at the Buncrana
office now stands at seven and a half weeks,
which is above the national average and the
longest waiting time of any of the eight social
welfare offices in the county.
“It is important to ensure that those who are
losing their jobs have their Job Seeker's
Allowance processed with as great a speed as
possible,” Senator Cecilia Keaveney said. “I
know from my clinic work that social welfare
staff are very much prioritising Job Seeker’s
Allowance, at the expense of people with older
'less urgent' claim types.”
The Fianna Fáil senator said that she has
lobbied the Minister for Social Welfare, Mary
Hanafin to review the staffing level at the
Buncrana office so that delays can be sorted
before Christmas.
“On the last occasion where a review took place
more staff were given,” the Moville-based
senator said. “I believe that extra staff or
re-deployment of staff within the system remains
a strong need both for applicants but also to
support the good work of current staff.”
Countywide, the number of people signing on in
Donegal fell slightly between September and
October, falling from 20,013 to 19,814. However,
as is the case in Inishowen, there has been a
massive increase over the past 12 months, with
the number of people claiming the dole growing
from 13,121 in October 2008 to 20,013 last
month, an increase of 53%.
Waiting times for the processing of Job Seekers
Allowance ranges from two weeks in Killybegs and
three weeks in Letterkenny to seven and a half
weeks in Buncrana. The longest waiting time in
the State is 22 weeks in Castlepollard, County
Westmeath.
Nationally, the number of people signing on
decreased by 2% between September and October
from 419,854 to 412,407. However, it has grown
by 161,727 (65%) over the past 12 months.
Inishowen’s Live Register - October 2009
Category Claimants
Men Under 25 764
Men Over 25 2,433
Total Men 3,197
Women Under 25 366
Women Over 25 1,041
Total women 1,407
Total men and women 4,604
*Source: Central Statistics Office |
