Westport Sinn Féin Town Councillor Dave Keating has called on the government to introduce a back to education scheme for young construction workers.
Cllr Keating was speaking after the latest figures from the Central Statistics Office show that unemployment in Westport has almost doubled from 509 to 964 in just a year.
“It is essential that the State introduce a specific back to education scheme for construction sector workers under the age of 25 without Leaving Certificates. The Taoiseach’s department estimates that under-25s represent 50.3 per cent of the total construction unemployment figure in 2007 and 2008, and that a large majority do not have Leaving Certificates. It is also essential that training and upskilling courses for alternative industries to construction are provided,” he said.
Cllr Keating added that the increase by 455, or 89.39 per cent, in Westport’s Live Register highlights the government’s inaction on job creation.
“The government cannot continue to sit on their hands in the face of rising unemployment. Even now, as the figures continue to rise, there is no evidence of any action or plan from the government to tackle unemployment,” he said.
