Irish unemployment tripled to an average 14.2 percent last year from 4.5 percent in 2007, as the economy shrunk by about 15 percent as a real-estate bubble collapsed. Emigration rose to the highest since the 19th century in the 12 months ended last April, with about 76,400 people leaving Ireland during the period, according to the Central Statistics Office.
And those closing lines:
Outside the social welfare office in central Dublin just off the campus of Trinity College, floor layer [Anthony] Roche says he is bracing for a year of suffering.
“This is going to be the hardest year of all, much harder than last year as the government is cutting everywhere,” he said. “I am trying to get my youngest son to go Australia if he can get a visa. I’ve told him we’ll even put together a bit of money to send to him every month.”
