Connacht Tribune
Census statistics reflect Galway jobs growth
The number of people in employment in Galway City and County rose by more than 9,300 in the space of five years, according to new figures from the Central Statistics Office.
The latest data shows that the total number of those in Galway with jobs on Census night in 2016 was 110,067 – up more than 9% on the 100,764 recorded in Census 2011.
The ‘Employment, Occupations and Industry’ report – which is the final dataset to be published from the Census – shows the manufacturing sector is the biggest employer in the city and county.
The total labour force was recorded as 125,180, up 1.5% from 123,309 five years previously.
A breakdown of the figures shows that in Galway county, the labour force in 2016 was 85,054 (up from 84,518 in Census 2011), with 75,116 at work (up from 69,207).
There were 9,938 recorded as unemployed (down from 15,311), with 936 seeking their first job (down from 1,188) and 9,002 having lost or given up their job (down from 14,123).
The unemployment rate for the county was 11.7%, down from 18.1% five years earlier. 84.4% of the labour force was Irish, down 0.6% from the 2011 Census.
The main employment sectors in the county were manufacturing (14.7); human health and social work activities (13%); wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles (12%); education (10.2%) and construction (6.2%).
In Galway City, the total labour force was 40,126 (up from 38,791 in 2011), while 34,951 were at work (up from 31,557). There were 5,175 recorded as unemployed (down from 7,234) and 632 seeking their first job (down from 654), while 4,541 had lost or given up their job (down from 6,580).
The city’s unemployment rate was 12.9$, down from 18.6% and the 72.1% of the labour force was Irish (up from 71.3%).
The main employment sector in the city was manufacturing (13.7%); human health and social work activities (13%); wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles (12.3%; education (9.9%) and accommodation and food service activities (9.9%).
Minister for the Diaspora and International Development, Ciaran Cannon, welcomed the publication of the report.
“This is solid evidence that the Government`s Action Plan on Jobs is producing the results necessary to getting all people back to employment.
“The CSO Report analyses the world of work in Ireland in 2016, with a particular focus in changes in the numbers at work by occupations and industrial sectors.
“Fine Gael is working to build a republic of opportunity which will see everyone have a fair chance to reach their full potential. We envisage a society where there is equality of opportunity for everyone and a second chance if they need one,” said Minister Cannon.
Significant state investment is required to address ‘shocking’ inequalities that leave cancer patients in the West at greater risk of succumbing to the disease.
A meeting of Regional Health Forum West heard that survival rates for breast, lung and colorectal cancers than the national average, and with the most deprived quintile of the population, the West’s residents faced poorer outcomes from a cancer diagnosis.
For breast cancer patients, the five-year survival rate was 80% in the West versus 85% nationally; for lung cancer patients it was 16.7% in the west against a 19.5% national survival rate; and in the West’s colorectal cancer patients, there was a 62.6% survival rate where the national average was 63.1%.
These startling statistics were provided in answer to a question from Ballinasloe-based Cllr Evelyn Parsons (Ind) who said it was yet another reminder that cancer treatment infrastructure in the West was in dire need of improvement.
“The situation is pretty stark. In the Western Regional Health Forum area, we have the highest incidence of deprivation and the highest health inequalities because of that – we have the highest incidences of cancer nationally because of that,” said Cllr Parsons, who is also a general practitioner.
In details provided by CEO of Saolta Health Care Group, which operates Galway’s hospitals, it was stated that a number of factors were impacting on patient outcomes.
Get the full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune, on sale in shops now, or you can download the digital edition from www.connachttribune.ie. You can also download our Connacht Tribune App from Apple’s App Store or get the Android Version from Google Play.
Galway 3-18
Cork 1-10
NEW setting; new opposition; new challenge. It made no difference to the Galway minor hurlers as they chalked up a remarkable sixth consecutive double digits championship victory at Semple Stadium on Saturday.
The final scoreline in Thurles may have been a little harsh on Cork, but there was no doubting Galway’s overall superiority in setting up only a second-ever All-Ireland showdown against Clare at the same venue on Sunday week.
Having claimed an historic Leinster title the previous weekend, Galway took a while to get going against the Rebels and also endured their first period in a match in which they were heavily outscored, but still the boys in maroon roll on.
Beating a decent Cork outfit by 14 points sums up how formidable Galway are. No team has managed to lay a glove on them so far, and though Clare might ask them questions other challengers haven’t, they are going to have to find significant improvement on their semi-final win over 14-man Kilkenny to pull off a final upset.
Galway just aren’t winning their matches; they are overpowering the teams which have stood in their way. Their level of consistency is admirable for young players starting off on the inter-county journey, while the team’s temperament appears to be bombproof, no matter what is thrown at them.
Having romped through Leinster, Galway should have been a bit rattled by being only level (0-4 each) after 20 minutes and being a little fortunate not to have been behind; or when Cork stormed out of the blocks at the start of the second half by hitting 1-4 to just a solitary point in reply, but there was never any trace of panic in their ranks.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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GARDAÍ and the IFA have issued a joint appeal to all road users to take extra care as the silage season gets under way across the country.
Silage harvesting started in many parts of Galway last week – and over the coming month, the sight of tractors and trailers on rural roads will be getting far more frequent.
Inspector Conor Madden, who is in charge of Galway Roads Policing, told the Farming Tribune that a bit of extra care and common-sense from all road users would go a long way towards preventing serious collisions on roads this summer.
“One thing I would ask farmers and contractors to consider is to try and get more experienced drivers working for them.
“Tractors have got faster and bigger – and they are also towing heavy loads of silage – so care and experience are a great help in terms of accident prevention,” Inspector Madden told the Farming Tribune.
He said that tractor drivers should always be aware of traffic building up behind them and to pull in and let these vehicles pass, where it was safe to do so.
“By the same token, other road users should always exercise extra care; drive that bit slower; and ‘pull in’ that bit more, when meeting tractors and heavy machinery.
“We all want to see everyone enjoying a safe summer on our roads – that extra bit of care, and consideration for other roads users can make a huge difference,” said Conor Madden.
He also advised motorists and tractor drivers to be acutely aware of pedestrians and cyclists on the roads during the summer season when more people would be out walking and cycling on the roads.
The IFA has also joined in on the road safety appeal with Galway IFA Farm Family and Social Affairs Chair Teresa Roche asking all road users to exercise that extra bit of care and caution.
“We are renewing our annual appeal for motorists to be on the look out for tractors, trailers and other agricultural machinery exiting from fields and farmyards,” she said.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App
Download the Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App to access to Galway’s best-selling newspaper.
Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Or purchase the Digital Edition for PC, Mac or Laptop from Pagesuite HERE.
Get the Connacht Tribune Live app
The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Families queue up for school’s offer of free house
West has lower cancer survival rates than rest
Galway minors continue to lay waste to all opponents
Gardaí and IFA issue a joint appeal on summer road safety
Marathon Man plans to call a halt – but not before he hits 160 races
