County Donegal has seen no economic recovery - Pringle

The level of Enterprise Ireland-supported job creation increased by just 2% in the north-west region in 2015, Donegal Independent Deputy Thomas Pringle told the Dáil.

 Ballybofey, County Donegal has the highest commercial property vacancy rate, at over 28%, according to An Post's geodirectory survey, he said. Some 52% of households in the county will have to rely on State intervention to get broadband and will have to wait until 2021 to see this objective realised.

“Disposable income in the county is at 80% of the national average,” he said. “Social transfers make up 40% of household disposable income in the county. A total of 1,485 farmers depend on Farm Assist to supplement their incomes, while 101 primary schools are working with reduced teaching staff. Approximately 67% of third level students from the county are in receipt of SUSI grants. According to the Central Bank, in February 2015 some 15% of homeowners were in serious mortgage arrears, with hundreds of repossession cases before the courts every month.”

Add to this, he said, the cuts in expenditure, including the reduction of €182,000 since 2009 for the Donegal Centre of Independent Living, and the resulting inability to provide care supports for people with disabilities in a county in which over 21,000 people are suffering from a disability.

Meanwhile, on the Tánaiste's watch, according to the CSO, he said the top 10% of income earners in the country hold over 54% of income, with the top 1% holding 15% of its entire wealth.

“Budget 2016 has accelerated this trend, with tax changes such as the cut in USC benefiting those on incomes of €70,000 and above,” he said. “Is this a record of which the Tánaiste is proud? Based on this, why should the people of County Donegal and Ireland allow Fine Gael or Fianna Fáil another term in office?”

In response, Tánaiste Joan Burton said having visited County Donegal this summer and spoken to many of those managing social protection offices and people working in the hotel business, she knew that the county has seen a singular renaissance in tourism as a consequence of the Government's development of the Wild Atlantic Way.

“Also, because of the strength of sterling and the dollar, taking a holiday in County Donegal has become significantly cheaper and better value for people from the United States and the United Kingdom,” she added.