Following the release of the Live Register figures for October, Sinn Féin councillor Thérèse Ruane has accused the Government of relying on emigration to mask unemployment figures in the absence of a proper job creation strategy.
“Five thousand seven hundred and forty one people under 25 have left the Live Register within the last month,” Cllr Ruane said. “Does anyone really believe they are flowing into jobs? The savage cuts to young people’s unemployment benefit at the last budget provided a further incentive for them to leave the country. Sadly, encouraging emigration appears to be the best strategy the Government can come up with for reducing the Live Register.
“Emigration is a blight on our country,” she added. “Yet again, the brain drain and the flow of emigration from counties like Mayo, all too familiar in the past, are fast becoming a reality. Ireland cannot afford the loss of these highly skilled young people from our shores. Rather than further decimating the economy, the Government should use next month’s budget to create jobs, stimulate the economy, and retain our young people.”
