Sneem could become ‘a ghost town’ if it fails to develop a major industry
SNEEM will become a ghost town over the coming generations unless it can attract a major industry, a senior FÁS official claimed this week.
John Quill, a development officer with the body, commented on what he says is the steadily declining population in the village as he reacted to confirmation that Sneem’s community employment scheme is to be renewed and will re-commence in November.
Work is then due to start on a number of projects following a six week break, which, as Mr Quill explained, was taken as a cost-cutting exercise and as an alternative to laying off some of the 15 long term unemployed taking part in the scheme.
According to Mr Quill, while those on the FÁS scheme are performing invaluable work for the community, the overall jobs situation in the area is a matter of grave concern.
“They’ll be working for the Tidy Towns committee and also caring for the elderly in the local day care centre,” he explained. “However, the FÁS scheme is just about the biggest employer in Sneem, there’s really nothing else here, except for the hotel and even that’s outside the village.” And, should urgent action not be taken, Mr Quill reluctantly accepts that the employment situation will inevitably get worse, with the consequence that the village population will continue to fall.
“There’s very few people getting married here, the school population is dropping, we have a growing elderly population and a declining young one.
“What we need here to improve the situation is an industry, or the population will continue to fall and there’ll be nothing that anyone can do about it,” he said.
However, after 2003, those who have been on community employment schemes for more than three years will no longer be eligible for membership, leading to fears that the problems being experienced in Sneem and similar rural areas may become still more acute.
