South East needs job creation initiative, says authority
A delegation from the authority is to meet with Enterprise Minister Micheál Martin soon to discuss recent job losses in the region. One of the hardest hit parts of the south-east has been Carlow, which has seen hundreds of jobs go since Christmas.
Figures from the CSO in the past few days have shown unemployment levels in the south-east are among the highest in the country. Job losses in March were 1.2% greater than in March 2004. And household-income levels in parts of the region are as low as 90% of the national average.
Authority chairman John Brennan said the region has not got its share of national investment: “There is a perception that the south-east is doing well. But it’s not the true picture. The Government’s investment in the south-east region in job creation is not enough. We will be asking the minister to ensure more jobs are brought to the region.”
Disposable income of those in parts of the south- east is 87.9% of the national average. Unemployment in the region stands at 5.6%, twice the mid-east of the country which has a 2% unemployment rate.
Just 22% of the workforce has a third-level qualification, against one-in-three nationally. And just 14.4% of the population goes to university, as opposed to one in five nationally.
The IDA in Waterford has several available landbanks in the city and county. There are plans to rezone more land for industrial/ commercial use at Waterford Crystal. But there are no major jobs announcements on the horizon, the IDA has said.
And there are fears of up to 200 job cuts at Waterford Crystal soon. Among the hardest hit has been Carlow where last month Celtic Linen said it is to let 90 staff go in the summer. Hundreds of jobs were lost when the Irish Sugar plant closed.
