Employment blackspot criticises Fás over lack of advice sessions

UNEMPLOYED people in Bandon are, on average, receiving just two minutes per month training and job seeking advice from Fás due to a failure by the state training agency to invest in the region since the downturn.

Bandon has the second highest unemployment figures in West Cork with 1,520 unemployed. In September 2007, just 573 were on the Live Register in the town — meaning unemployment has nearly tripled in the past three years. Despite these high figures, Fás only send a representative to the town on two 2.5-hour sessions per month. The story is similar across most West Cork towns according to Fergal Conlon, LCDP manager with the West Cork Development Partnership.

“The Fás workers that come into Bandon and West Cork are excellent however we need their hours to increase 10 or 20 fold at least. With 1,520 unemployed, we need far more than five hours help per month,” he said.

Over the past year, the town’s economy has been badly damaged by eight-foot floods last November which engulfed the town centre and caused extensive damage to riverside properties.

The national economic crisis has also left a dark imprint with businesses closing and unemployment soaring.

Fergal Conlon has also spoken of the need for a downtown resource centre in Bandon so that those living in the community could become of the wide variety of services that are in place to help and support families and the wider community.

An open day is to be held at Riverside Shopping Centre today where locals can visit stands where they can chat with representatives about the various educational courses and social supports that are available to the people of Bandon. The partnership is seeking to increase the numbers accessing these services.

Representatives from Money and Budgeting Services (MABS), Bandon Family Support Group, the Vocational Education Committee (VEC), Fás and the Citizens Information Service will all be at hand to offer advice.