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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.” |
