Live Register figures up 5.4% in Dundalk last month

Dundalk has bucked the national trend by seeing the number of people on the dole jump in June.

Nationally, the number of people on the Live Register fell by 4,400 last month. However, in Dundalk the number of people unemployed grew by 5.4% to 6,907 – an additional 352 from the figure recorded in May.

This is the third consecutive month that the unemployment rate has grown in Dundalk, with the latest increase the largest since June 2012.

The number on the Live Register in Louth also rose by 3.7% last month to 16,054 on the back of unemployment rates also increasing in Ardee and Drogheda.

This is the highest unemployment has been in the county since September last year.

Live Register figures in Dundalk at their lowest for three years

The number of people claiming social welfare payments in Dundalk is at its lowest level in three years, according to the latest data from the Central Statistics Office.

The latest Live Register figures for the area shows there were 6,737 people signing on in November, down 2.5% on the previous month.

This is the fourth consecutive month in which the Live Register figure for Dundalk has fallen and means the figure is at its lowest since 6,449 people signed on in November 2010.

In total there are 4,199 men signing on at present – the lowest this has been since November 2009 – and 2,538 women.

Those under 25 claiming dole amounted to 1,138, with 705 of them male and 433 female.

In total there are 15,410 people in Louth on the Live Register at present – the lowest there has been since April 2009.

Mark to shave his beard after 10 years in aid of cancer research

Local man Mark Duffy is set to shave his beard off for the first time in 10 years in aid of cancer research on Friday November 1^st.

Mark, from Belfry Gardens, first grew his beard in 2003 and has been letting it grow untrimmed since the start of August ahead of the big shave in a few weeks’ time.

Not only has Mark pledged to shave his beard, but he has also promised to remain clean shaven for the entire month of November.

Commenting on his fundraising site, Mark said: “I originally wanted to do it for prostate cancer, but as my mam was diagnosed with breast cancer this year, I wanted to do something for it also. So I have chosen to support NUI Galway, as their research will not only benefit breast cancer but also prostate cancer. It would mean alot if you could support this and help in cancer research.”

To date Mark has raised €450 of his target but you can donate or read more about his journey at 10yearshave.me

Toll holiday for HGVs on motorways is proposed

Local haulage companies could be set for major savings after the Minister for Transport proposed a one month toll holiday for heavy goods vehicles in November.

The move is being made in an attempt to entice hauliers away from local roads and on to motorways.

The State is expected to cover the estimated €3 million cost of the move and while the M50 and East Link are set to be excluded, the M1 toll plaza will be included.

This could lead to less traffic along the N2 through Ardee.

Eoin Gavin of the Irish Road Haulage Association welcomed the move and said “the next step is to review and revise the HGV toll rates.”

N-ice one

Good news for all ice skating fans out there with the ice rink set to return to the Square later this year.

Dundalk Square on Ice, which was a big hit last Christmas, will return to the Market Square in November.

Source: Rink will bring the buzz at Christmas (Dundalk Democrat)