Posted online: Jun 15th, 2009

By Teresa McGowan
Reporter

WITH an increase of 80 per cent in the county’s Live Register figures over the past 12 months, a Letterkenny councillor has warned that the rules of employment schemes must be relaxed or the welfare system will collapse.
The highest increase in the county on those signing on was recorded in Ballybofey where 2,424 were on the Live Register in May 2009 compared to 1,185 in May 2008, an increase of 104 per cent.
In Letterkenny the figure has risen 77 per cent from 2,784 to 4,922 in the same 12 month period.
Commenting on the figures Letterkenny area Cllr Noel McBride (FG) warned: “If drastic measures are not taken, the welfare system will collapse. We will not be able to sustain the amount of people signing on.”
The Live Register figures across County Donegal make for bleak reading with the number signing on in May 2009 hitting 19,061 compared to 10,577 in the same month of the previous year, an increase of 80 per cent.
The statistics also show that there is a huge sex divide in those claiming unemployment benefits with men accounting for 1,688 of the weekly dole cheques in Ballybofey and women taking home 736 of them.
In Letterkenny 3,351 men are on the Live Register while less than half that amount, 1,571, are women.
This trend is echoed through the county with men accounting for 67 per cent of those on the Live Register.
“We need to show some creativity and relax the rules and stipulations of government employment schemes so that people who want to work are given the opportunity,” added Cllr McBride.
“What FG are looking to do is to subsidise employers and offer PRSI exemption. This will help employers and employee who are both finding it tough at the moment.”
Meanwhile figures from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment show that 99 redundancies were recorded in Donegal in the month of May, the majority of which were men at 70 per cent.

Live Register figures
County Donegal
May 2008: 10,577
May 2009: 19,061
Ballybofey
May 2008: 1,185
May 2009: 2,424
Ballyshannon
May 2008: 666
May 2009: 1,318
Buncrana
May 2008: 2,243
May 2009: 4,507
Donegal Town
May 2008: 651
May 2009: 1,274
Dunfanaghy
May 2008: 828
May 2009: 1,401
Dungloe
May 2008: 1,325
May 2009: 1,945
Killybegs
May 2008: 895
May 2009: 1,270
Letterkenny
May 2008: 2,784
May 2009: 4,922