Gaeltacht faces a challenging year

Gaeltacht faces a challenging year to hold on to jobs


Anton McNulty

DESPITE the creation of 109 new full-time jobs in the Mayo Gaeltacht in 2008, overall employment figures are down by 43 in comparison with the previous year, according to the end-of-year statement released by Údarás na Gaeltachta.
The CEO of Údarás na Gaeltachta, Padraig Ó hAoláin, revealed that the reduced level of funding and the deteriorating economic climate means that 2009 will be a challenging year for job creation, and warned that companies in Irish-speaking areas are struggling in the current climate.
“Job approvals for the first half of the year are expected to be low as the organisation focuses on employment maintenance and reserves resources for what is forecast to be a more difficult second half of the year. The global economic conditions, however, continue to create difficulties for Gaeltacht companies.
“Towards year-end, a number of Gaeltacht companies trading in the sterling and dollar areas were under pressure with their margins being eroded by the weak exchange rates. The current credit squeeze is also another constraint that existing companies have to contend with and An tÚdarás will continue to work with these companies, within the state-aid guidelines, to try to minimise job losses in 2009,” he said.
A total of 864 were employed in Údarás-assisted companies in the Mayo Gaeltacht at year end, with 109 new jobs created and 104 new full-time jobs approved in sectors such as modern manufacturing, services, marine, energy, community development, tourism, education and training.
However, overall employment is down by 43 jobs in comparison with the previous year with the majority of job losses arising from the closure of Teagmháil Acla Teo in Acaill (32 jobs) and a reduction in staff in Eurotel Marketing Ltd in Béal an Mhuirthead.
Mr Ó hÁoláin explained that during 2008, Údarás continued its policy of developing business infrastructure and providing support packages, including the establishment of Nualann Mhaigh Eo, a business innovation and incubation centre based in Belmullet. He added that they continue to support innovation in Gaeltacht fish farms and the farming of turbot in a water recirculation system in Achill was testament to this.
Employment in the services industry in particular now accounts for 3,046 jobs or 37 per cent of the total number of jobs in the region. Traditional manufacturing employment in Údarás-assisted firms declined by 5.5 per cent last year. However, the modern manufacturing, services and audio-visual and independent TV production sectors increased by 9.7 per cent.
“The majority of these are indigenous enterprises and provide the type of highly-skilled jobs that An tÚdarás aspires to support in the Gaeltacht. The figures indicate the gradual restructuring of the Gaeltacht economy from lower technology sectors and therefore lower skills level to higher technology manufacturing and services sectors, and therefore a higher skilled and educated workforce,” explained Mr Ó hAoláin.