Almost four thousand people have been added to the Live Register in Waterford City in the past year, according to the latest figures released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO). Alarmingly, a sixth of that tally was added in the last recorded month alone.
A total of 13,661 signed on during May, which compares to 7,979 in the same month last year. The May total represented an increase of 636 on the April tally, meaning 159 people a week were added to the Live Register in the city between April and May.
It’s of scant consolation to locals that the south east experienced the smallest percentage increase in the Live Register in the 12 months surveyed up to May: however that still came to 83.2 per cent.
Councillor John Halligan, the city’s highest vote getter in last Friday’s local election, said the latest figures had surely given Waterford a most unwarranted national tag.
“In terms of population, I would have thought that Waterford must have one of the highest rates of unemployment in the country, if not in fact the highest,” said the City North poll topper.
“From my reading of the situation, there are three reasons why this is the case. Firstly, one has to question what exactly the IDA is doing in Waterford, what it’s doing or how hard it’s working when it comes to attracting industry into the city.
“Secondly, in relation to bringing high-skilled jobs to the city, there is no doubt that the continued absence of a university is having a detrimental affect on the potential prosperity of Waterford. The importance of Waterford becoming a university city has never been more critical in my view.”
Cllr Halligan added: “And thirdly, I believe that some employers in the city, not all I hasten to add, aren’t being completely honest with their employees when it comes to reducing their work hours and are, in fact, putting the retention of profits ahead of the retention of jobs.”
Cllr Halligan said it was the responsibility of all 15 City Councillors to prevent the city from “falling to its knees”.
Refraining on the IDA’s role, he stated: “We may need to call the IDA before us again. We certainly need them to show to us, on paper, what they’re doing for Waterford and how they are justifying their salaries. They need to show us their mettle.”
Acknowledging the CSO figures, Waterford Chamber Chief Executive Michael Garland said there was no doubting the severity of the hit which the city has taken in recent months.
“It’s a difficult time, there’s no questioning that,” said Mr Garland. “But I firmly believe that employers and their staff in Waterford, working together, have the wherewithal and the ability to emerge from the economic difficulties that we’re all facing.”
Mr Garland added that the ‘them and us’ attitude that has frequently defined the employer/employee relationship is now firmly set for redefining.
“Everyone is buying into that idea,” he asserted. “You can’t just lay off staff and think that that alone is going to get you out of a bad spot – staff are the lifeblood of every sector of industry; without staff, you can’t succeed.”
He continued: “From talking to various businesses over the past few weeks, it’s become clear to me that people are buying into that concept of pulling together. We all have to do something a little bit different now, we all need to be a little more innovative and I believe the determination to do just that is prevalent throughout businesses in Waterford.
“If we can survive through these turbulent times and I believe that we will, everyone in Waterford needs to be ready to grab hold of the green shoots of recovery. And while the road ahead will not be easy, I’m confident that we’ll be ready to do just that when the time comes.”
The Government has to go, it’s really as simple as that. Although some might say that the country cannot afford another General Election, we must consider the fact that the country cannot afford to allow these idiots to stay in power. The Government are putting the people of reland into the poor house, meanwhile passing on a free pardon to the Banks, Builders, and Developers, who caused this level of unemployment accross the country. There should be a substantial sum of money in the kitty at this stage (2009) after all the Irish people spent alot of money on high taxablwe items over the course of the celtic tiger, so alot of tax money should have been generated. However the Govt. spent all of this money (our money) on Tribunals to investigate the undeniable sleaze and corruption within their own party (Fianna Fail), they also allowed the Banks to practice foolishly, and allowed huge salaries to themselves and alot of othe civil servants. The list goes on , and it’s endless. I personally take Cowen’s remarks as an insult , when he says that we all must row in together, “we didn’t all cause this Cowen” you and your party did. Furthermore its a cop out when he says that this economic situation is just the result of the Worldwide economic situation battering Ireland’s economy. the Govt. should have had enough money from the way they have taxed us over the years to protect this country’s economy from this situation. So I tell you now “we need another General Election, nobody, and I do mean nobody could make a worse bags of this than Fianna ail and the Greens are.