It’s feared that West Clare is “losing it’s future” over an ongoing failure to provide employment opportunities for college graduates.
Kilrush Councillor Ian Lynch is reacting to the latest Pobal Deprivation Report, which shows that five areas in Clare, have been hit the hardest by the recession.
Following on from the Census, Pobal’s HP Deprivation Index has examined communities across the country and the level of wealth in each of them.
The research examines a number of factors including income, unemployment, accomodation and education.
The vast majority of Clare has been identified as marginally above or maginally below average, with no area being decribed as wealthy.
But there are more than ten areas in the county that are considered “disadvantaged”, most in the west of the county, Sixmilebridge and parts of Shannon.
And, it’s been found that the electoral areas of Ennis Rural, Ennis Urban 1, 2 and 4, Kilrush Urban, Kilkee, Kilferagh and Ennistymon have suffered the most through recession, and are now classified as “very disadvantaged”.
Kilrush Independent Councillor Ian Lynch claims a large employer is desperately needed in West Clare to aid in efforts to reduce unemployment.
He says there’s no incentive for young people leaving the area for higher education to return.
A former Mayor of Ennis has described as “shocking” the impact of austerity on the most vulnerable in our society.
Fine Gael Councillor Johnny Flynn says efforts are progressing to reduce the impact, including targetted funding for one on one training through a number of programmes, such as PsyCap, RAPID and the Leader Programme.
But Councillor Flynn says the barriers to people joining those programmes need to be looked at.
