Increase in young jobless figures

THERE has been a large increase in the number of people under 25 signing on the live register in west and south Cork.

Figures released by the Central Statistics Office show that almost one in five people signing on are under that age.

The unemployment increase is particularly evident in young men, rather than women, and this is being attributed to the fall off in jobs in the construction industry.

Figures for November 2007 show there were 65 under-25s signing on in Bandon. That figure had jumped by last month to 144.

During the same period the Bantry area showed a jump from 19 to 73.

The young jobless figures from Clonakilty showed a rise from 23 to 59. It jumped from 26 to 70 in Kinsale and from 22 to 57 in Skibbereen.

Senator Michael McCarthy (Lab) said the figures made grim reading. “These are the most frightening live register figures in a generation ... All of the towns in west Cork are showing increases in excess of 53%.”