THE native Kerry man and woman are on the endangered species list, the Kerryman reported. "In certain parts of Kenmare, the native population is now outnumbered by about three or four to one by European nationals. It's a factor we'll have to look at," said Kerry's county manager, Paddy d'Arcy.
Census figures show that Kerry's population has increased by 3.3 per cent, or 3,969 people, but the "natural increase" during this period was a mere 491. The balance of 3,578 was accounted for by "net migration".
Mr d'Arcy told the newspaper that pressure on the planning side was coming from people wanting to live in "exclusive sites" in Kerry which was perceived as "a pleasant place to live with a good lifestyle".
Kerry may be filling up with people, but some employers still cannot fill jobs. In a week in which new estimates of the level of dole fiddling confirmed what the hard pressed PAYE worker has long suspected the Kerryman reported that, despite Kerry's high unemployment rate, a local fish processing firm is having to bring in foreign workers to fill up to 50 job vacancies.
Portuguese workers may be recruited by O Cathain Iasc for seasonal work if enough Irish people cannot be found. "These are well paid jobs and will run from October to March. We have good working conditions with a good pay and bonus scheme" said the managing director, Mr Eoin O Cathain. "We will provide accommodation if necessary and we will collect workers from a 20 mile radius of Dingle."
There are 9,462 unemployed people on the Live Register in Kerry, including 151 people signing on in Dingle and 4,549 in Tralee, the newspaper told us.
The Longford Leader's editorial writer knew of people making hundreds of pounds each week who collected the dole as well. "Maybe the results of this intensive survey which proves for the first time that there is wholesale fiddling of the dole systems will spur the odd brave politician to speak out - but don't hold your breath. Ireland has become largely at hand out dependent society of which the weekly dole payments are the most important part."
Mr De Rossa had a "moral duty" to act on the findings, it believed. But the Midland Tribune was sceptical of his intent. "Have our politicians the courage, especially with an election looming on the horizon, to take the "Reforming the system will be highly unpopular in certain areas, not to mention the Social Welfare Minister's own constituency in Dublin."
The Wexford People said that "huge fines for employers who failed to register the RSI numbers of their employees would deter the employers who were equally responsible for the fraud". The money collected could then be used to pay "a decent weekly's amount for those in genuine need".
Pessimism about the peace process imbued the Ballymena Guardian's coverage of local events. In a week in which 400 people blocked Catholics from attending Mass and 100 people attended the Mid Antrim Hunt Kennels Open Day, 14 people turned up at a peace meeting, it reported.
"Churchmen condemn interference" was the front page headline concerning a protest which prevented 400 Catholic worshippers from attending Mass at Harryville Chapel. "Amidst warnings that protests at Catholic Masses will continue and could spread, four prominent Ballymena clergymen have called on all the people to resist any efforts to increase alienation and to strive by their actions and words to further the way of understanding and trust," it said.
The Ballymena Residents Loyalists' Association had its own statement: "We are prepared to take further action, if necessary, if nationalists pursue the `de Ulsterisation' of our people. Lot it be known that it is a Ballymena Protestant upheaval. We will only grow stronger and more loyal. No surrender - God save the Queen".
In the Ballymena Guardian we learned that, at a meeting of the People's Peace Talks in Ballymena Town Hall last week, Mr Ian Paisley jnr told the audience of 14 people that, the church pickets had "emerged from the context of a Protestant community that has had enough".
