Young Irish fleeing to Oz as job prospects plummet

THE number of Irish people visiting Australia on working holidays has more than doubled in the past six months compared to the same period last year.

Figures released by the Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship show the number of young Irish applying to visit on working holiday visas increased 52% in the last six months.

There were 12,790 applications between July and December of 2008, compared to the 8,417 that were issued in the same six months in 2007.