Crowe Says Emigration Figures Display Worrying Movement

Dublin South West representative Seán Crowe TD responding to the publication of the annual emigration figures by the Central Statistics Office  said they demonstrate clearly the failure of  the government’s  job creation policy. Crowe said that the figures show a consistent and worrying trend that starkly indicates that more and more people are being forced to  leave the country.

Deputy Seán Crowe said; “The Central Statistics Office figures show an ever increasing and worrying trend that indicates that more and more people are leaving the country.

“266,000 of our citizens have emigrated and left Ireland since 2011.

“In the last  year alone a staggering 89,000 emigrated,  a 2000 increase from the 87,000 who left previous year. “This level of emigration exceeds the previous crisis of the 80’s or any other in living memory.

“The government nonchalantly portrays this as a life style choice, but families and communities across Ireland, and those forced to leave, know that emigration is not a choice but in the majority of cases an economic necessity.

“89,000 people left last year but unemployment only fell by 23,000, a miserly 1% decrease in the unemployment rate.

“Surely it should be clear, even to the most naïve Government supporter  that their jobs policy is flat lining and failing to create the  jobs it promised before the last election.

“The CSO figures also highlight the  government’s strategy that is relying on emigration to mask their economic failures. Unfortunately the drive, energy, innovation and work skills of the tens of thousands being forced to emigrate are being exploited to the benefit of the economies of Britain, Australia, Canada and the USA.

“The government needs to recognise  its economic policy failures and its failure to meet even its own employment targets. We need a new policy that aims to stimulate economic growth and deliver real and sustainable jobs.

“Next month’s budget offers an ideal opportunity to take a different course, one that prioritises the creation of jobs over the failed policies of cutbacks and austerity.

“My party Sinn Féin will be offering the government an alternative budget which will offer young and old  the opportunity to remain in Ireland and use their skills to help rebuild our country.
We want to work with others to promote an alternative Ireland that values work and our citizens natural abilities and creativity.”