5,000 homeless living on streets

seen in the 1980s, with up to 5,000 people currently without a home and another 100,000 on social housing waiting lists.

The recession has been blamed for a dramatic rise in homeless numbers and comes as the Government's deadline for ending long-term homelessness by the end of this year rapidly approaches.

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/recession-blamed-as-5000-homeless-living-on-streets-2335257.html

Warning recession may raise racist tensions

IRELAND’S FALL into recession could lead to more tensions between immigrants and the native Irish population, the Irish committee of the European Cultural Foundation has warned.

Its chairwoman, Mary Canning, said instances of deaths associated with racism were not common but “there is a worry that perhaps there could be more issues of tension, particularly at local level”.

“People are in danger of becoming ghettoised, either in their housing or in their access to education or to health services.”

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/0624/1224273185893.html

Unemployment now at 12.2%

A further 10,500 people signed on to the Live Register in July bringing the standardised unemployment rate to 12.2 per cent, according to new figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO).

The unemployment rate is now at its highest since April 1995 and up from just 6.4 per cent a year ago.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2009/0807/breaking27.htm

Clampdown on foreign workers as jobs vanish

THE number of work permits issued to non-EU nationals here has plummeted in the last six months as the jobs crisis here has grown.

Figures released by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment also show that some 2,236 applications to work here were rejected last year.

A large proportion of these would have been refused on the grounds that there were not enough jobs to justify allowing more workers into the country.

Tanaiste Mary Coughlan's department has begun a review of the work permit system in light of the economic crisis. Officials are now considering at least partially closing the door to immigrants which had been flung open during the Celtic Tiger era.

http://www.herald.ie/national-news/clampdown-on-foreign-workers-as-jobs-vanish-1656088.html

Immigrants not factored into job loss estimates

TAOISEACH Brian Cowen's prediction last Wednesday that unemployment could hit 400,000 by the end of this year came despite the Government making no provision for Irish and non-Irish nationals who may leave or enter the country as a result of the global downturn, the Sunday Independent has learned.

Given the failure by government officials to factor in any estimates on the expected outflow of workers who lose their jobs during 2009, Mr Cowen's grim forecast could yet turn out to be hopelessly optimistic to the tune of tens of thousands.

For in the case of non-Irish nationals from Eastern Europe, being unemployed in Ireland could still present a more attractive option than a return to one's home country.

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/immigrants-not-factored-into-job-loss-estimates-1632513.html