Jobless numbers jump 75 per cent in a year

The numbers of jobless signing on at social welfare offices in Meath has jumped by 75 per cent since this time last year, according to the latest figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO). The jump was the the highest in the country in the 12 months since September 2007. Last month"s traditional new school year boost generated very little improvement, with 5,598 now signing on in Navan, Trim and Kells. This figure is down 179 on August, but is more than 2,400 higher than the September 2007 figure. Trim and Kells are among the centres where those seeking jobseekers" allowance face the longest wait nationally to be processed. The Trim waiting time stands at 15 weeks, the country"s longest, while Kells applicants must wait 11 weeks. The delays brought a call from former SIPTU national executive member, Cllr Tommy Grimes, Kells, urging Social and Family Affairs Minister Mary Hanafin to switch needed staff to centres where they are most needed. 'Delays of even longer than 11 weeks are being experienced, and it"s entirely down to lack of staff to process the extra work,' he said. Nationally, unemployment rose to 6.3 per cent in September, considerably above the 4.8 per cent figure of last January and the 4.4 per cent of the workforce of 2006. The Mid-East region (which consists of Meath, Kildare and Wicklow) has recorded a 63.9 per cent rise in numbers signing on in the past year, making Meath"s figures the highest rise in Leinster. There were 1,737 people signing on in Navan in September 2007, but this rose to 3,074 last August and dipped to 2,980 a month later. The Trim figures for the same period were 879, 1,690 and 1,617, while Kells went from 565 to 1,013 and 1,001 last month. The rising number of unemployed workers is now putting pressure on other services, with Meath Money Advice and Bugetary Service (MABS) saying it is being put 'to the pin of its collar' to meet demand, according to manager Tommy Curran this week. 'The full impact has already been seen in construction, but we"re seeing more and more semi-skilled people being laid off. It"s clearly got several months to run yet,' he said. The picture is somewhat uneven with some sectors of industry and services still holding up well. However, the experience of layoffs was one many people 'simply have little grasp of' after such a long boom economic period, he added. 'Banks must show their compassion in the interest of the common good' and help those unfortunate to lose their jobs in these difficult times, added Mr Curran. The fact that the Mid-East region of Meath, Wicklow and Kildare had the biggest increase in unemployment this year should prompt all of the agencies concerned with job creation in Meath to pull together in the interests of drawing in new investment to the county, independent Cllr Brian Fitzgerald said this week. He repeated his call to An Taisce to 'comprehend the harm they have done to this county with continuous objections to job creation', and called on the Government to act to curtail this 'ill thought-out practice'. The councillor welcomed the Government"s 'swift and decisive' action in bringing about some stability in the financial markets but stressed that we still had some very serious problems ahead. 'The time has come for all public bodies, together with the private sector, to start pulling together in the long-term interest of our country and our people,' he said. Public bodies like the planning authorities, An Bord Pleanala, National Roads Authority, Irish Rail and others would have to consider the wider picture and stop focusing solely on their narrow responsibility, he said. 'I am confident that our own planning authority will deliver the assistance, encouragement and facilitation necessary to investors who wish to come to Meath. Other bodies must follow suit, they must stop putting unnecessary obstacles in the way of investment and job creation.' Cllr Fitzgerald added: 'Those who object to investment in jobs in this county should consider our schoolchildren and ask themselves if they are doing any favours to those children"s futures by their actions. We have seen the way money can run from one country to another at the stroke of a pen - investors will do likewise if we do not act in a positive way to encourage them. 'This is a time for national pride to kick in and let us look at the situation in the broad sense for the common good and move away from the self-centred greed which has taken us over in the last 10 years.'