Northside jobs blackspots revealed

ALARMING census figures released by the Central Statistics Office have revealed dramatic unemployment blackspots across the Northside.

The figures show that unemployment in Dublin North West, which includes Ballymun and Finglas, reached over 23 per cent in 2011 when the national survey was carried out.

The figure is more than double that of Dublin South where the rate was just 10.3 per cent and almost five percentage points higher than the city average.

Dublin Central, which includes Cabra, Phibsboro and the North Inner City, shows unemployment running at 20.4, also higher than the city average.

In Dublin West, which includes Blanchardstown and Castleknock, the figures were slightly better with the average rate coming in at 17.5 per cent compared with an average of 16 per cent for the entire Fingal area.

The latest Live Register figures for April indicate that unemployment may have fallen slightly in the two years since the census was carried out, with the national average now standing at 14 per cent.

However, co-ordinator of the National Organisation of the Unemployed, John Stewart, pointed out that there are still over 186,000 people nationwide who have been signing on for over a year.

“At the rate the Live Register is falling, it will take many years before we see a substantial fall in the numbers of people who are unemployed,

? he said.

“The provision of a comprehensive and integrated employment and entitlement service to all unemployed people is critical if the ongoing crisis is to be tackled effectively.

“We also need to see more jobs being created in areas that match the skills and abilities of unemployed people.

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In Dublin North West, local TD John Lyons (Lab) is calling for urgent EU funding for a new project aimed at tackling youth unemployment in Ballymun.

An application for funds has been made for the Ballymun pilot Youth Guarantee Scheme and Deputy Lyons stressed the need for a speedy decision to European Commissioner Lászlo Andor at a recent meeting in Dublin Castle on youth unemployment.

“Last October, an application for European Commission funding was submitted for Ballymun to be a year-long pilot Youth Guarantee Scheme,

? Deputy Lyons said.

“Should the application be approved, it would guarantee any young person in Ballymun under 25 who now finds themselves out of work or education for four months, a training or education placement.

“It would also act as a test case for the future roll out of the Youth Guarantee Scheme in Ireland on foot of the recent European agreement on a e6 billion package to tackle youth unemployment.

?

The funding application was submitted six months ago and Deputy Lyons said he had been told that it was still under consideration.

“Every day that is lost to unemployment is an opportunity missed and potential left unfulfilled,

? he added.

“As a resident of Ballymun and champion of the Youth Guarantee, I am calling for the European Commission to urgently announce which pilot schemes will be funded to help us tackle youth unemployment and create opportunities for our young people.

?