Western region still not feeling the recovery, claims Mayo TD

LOCAL Fianna Fáil TD Dara Calleary has claimed the government is still not doing enough to support jobs in the western region.

His comments today follow the release of CSO data on employment from Census 2016, which highlights five 'unemployment blackspots' across Mayo.

Deputy Calleary said: “The latest Census 2016 data identifies five unemployment blackspots in the county, particularly Ballina and areas in Erris, with unemployment rates varying from 31% to 27%. These levels of unemployment are particularly worrying, and are further evidence of the two-tier recovery which Fine Gael has presided over in the last six years.

“The western region has not been a priority for this government, despite various ministers’ claims. Since 2012 there have been 16 IDA site visits in Mayo - that’s out of a total of 2,439 nationally. Those figures speak for themselves and are a damning indictment of Fine Gael’s neglect of the region.”

Deputy Calleary added that the fallout from Brexit is the biggest challenge this country has faced in a generation and has the potential to have a hugely negative impact on the business and agricultural sectors.

“While the decision by the Taoiseach to assign special responsibility for Brexit to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney, is welcome, I am concerned that he still doesn’t fully recognise the enormity of the task ahead of us.

“With the unemployment situation so bleak in parts of Mayo, it is imperative that the government comes up with a strategy to limit any further deterioration of the situation and to put supports in place for small businesses and entrepreneurs, which have the potential to create local jobs.”