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Mac Lochlainn Expresses Alarm at Loss of Over 32,000 Jobs Across North West EU Constituency in Twelve Months
Published: 14 January, 2009
Mac Lochlainn Expresses Alarm at Loss of Over 32,000 Jobs Across North West EU Constituency in Twelve Months
Sinn Féin candidate for the North West EU Constituency Cllr Pádraig Mac Lochlainn has expressed alarm at the increase in unemployment across the 11 counties of the North West EU Constituency over the last twelve months. Mac Lochlainn called for a specific strategy to ensure that these counties, which between them lost 32,156 jobs in the twelve months to December 2008, become competitive so that new jobs can be created.
Mac Lochlainn said
"CSO figures released this week show that unemployment across the 11 counties that make up the EU North West constituency has increased by 32,156 in the year to December 2008. During the boom years many of counties in the west, midlands and border area continued to have levels of unemployment far in excess of the state average. The booming construction sector camouflaged an ongoing loss of other jobs over those years , in particular in the manufacturing sector. These counties can ill afford to lose more jobs. Many of them continue to be severely disadvantaged due to infrastructural deficiencies that remain unresolved. Sinn Féin will oppose any moves to cut back on public services in the region (including public transport services) as this will undoubtedly exasperate their disadvantage.
"Unless there is a concerted effort made to make this region competitive we will not be able to retain the jobs that we have at the moment or create alternative employment. Infrastructure is key. We also need to look at the relative strengths of the region when indentifying potential growth sectors and possible investors. Amongst the potential growth sectors in this region is the agri-food sector. Entrepreneurs in the region must be supported in bringing their ideas to fruition. At this time of global economic difficulties developing the indigenous enterprise sectors must form a central part of the solution to our current difficulties.
"The Government has indicated that they are seeking funds from the EU's 'Global Adjustment Fund' to help retrain workers who are to lose their jobs at the Dell plant in Limerick. This is to be welcomed. However, the question has to be asked as to why the Government did not seek such funds or provide funds itself to retrain other workers who have lost jobs due to globalisation over the last 2 years. They were happy to let workers drift into an unsustainable construction sector rather than ensuring that they were given the skills to find sustainable alternative employment in the future. This fund has been available to the government since January 2007, and has been used by the Italian Government four times in that period, twice by France as well as being accessed by Finland, Germany, Malta, Portugal , Spain and Lithuania."ENDS
Note to editor : The following is the increase in employment per county across the North West EU Constituency in the 12 months to December 2008
Cavan 2445
Clare 2,807
Donegal 6157
Galway 6,724
Leitrim 1059
Longford 1,462
Mayo 3,703
Monagahn 2041
Roscommon 1,182
Sligo 1,394
Westmeath 3,182
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