Joe McHugh meets Donegal Youth Council as Letterkenny unemployment hits 5,500 as Inishowen unemployment soars by 5%

Local TD Joe McHugh has responded to news of December 09’s live register figures which show increases in unemployment levels at all of Donegal local social welfare offices by calling on Tánaiste and Employment Minister Mary Coughlan TD to establish community employment schemes across the county.

Speaking in Letterkenny this afternoon following a meeting with Donegal Youth Council, Deputy McHugh said:

“The number of people signing on for unemployment assistance increased at each of Co. Donegal’s 8 social welfare offices last month. 20,748 people in our county are now unemployed. 5,500 people are unemployed in the Letterkenny area, and Inishowen unemployment increased by more than 5% last December.

“Donegal’s Mary Coughlan TD is Tánaiste and Minister for Employment. She must use her Executive position to establish community employment schemes in our county.

“This morning I met with a group who believe that the old Letterkenny—Burtonport railway line should be transformed into a tourist — targeted cycle route, which would make our county a holiday destination for cycling tourists from Britain, America, and the Continent every year. Work on the route could be carried out through Community Employment schemes, and would cost very little.

“During the Christmas period I met with many local people who are out of work. With 450,000 people unemployed, we need to look at measures to give people a reason to get people out of bed in the morning. Long—term unemployment vacuum can have serious long—term repercussions for generations to come, and at the moment the only solution being put forward by Government is emigration.

“An Tánaiste much engage with ideas such as this, because currently the Government offers no hope and no new ideas to people who are out of work. Many low—cost projects can be rolled such as this out across our county, but An Tánaiste must show leadership on this first.”