‘Where will my sons find work?’

YOUGHAL mother Eileen Griffin has become accustomed to life in a commuter town.

It has become part of life for many families with more than 2,000 people losing their jobs locally in recent years.

Ms Griffin’s husband travels to work every morning and she stays at home. With two grown-up sons and another finishing off school she wonders where they will have to go to find work.

“It does impact on family life, there would be a lot of people getting home late at night to put their kids to bed and they are trying to make up for it at weekends,” she said.

She has been living in the area for 30 years and said the commuting life takes its toll on everybody.

“It would have been a big concern for me five years ago but as my sons have got older they understand more, now I am thinking about the younger families.

“I don’t know where my sons are going to find work.

“One of my sons is doing an apprenticeship but I doubt he will be able to be taken on full-time because there just is not the work,” she said.

With each factory closing she has watched the life get sapped out of Youghal.

“It has really been to the detriment of the town,” she said.

Local town councillor and Sinn Féin election candidate Sandra McLellan said many others stay at home but cut their own buying power to be with their families.

“I have worked in the factories and I have been made redundant so I know what effect it has had on people.

“I see people who could take up better jobs elsewhere but are taking lower paid jobs because family life is more important to them,” she said.