Ann McGee is raising three teenage children on her own. At the end of this month she will be laid off from the factory in Gweedore where she has worked for 10 years.
At a neighbouring plant, James McGee, who is not a relation, lost his job last November after 20 years. He was also depending on that income to pay a mortgage and educate three children.
They are just two of more than 200 workers who have lost their jobs in the Derrybeg Industrial Estate in the Donegal Gaeltacht over the past 12 months. In 1999, some 1,500 people were working on the estate, now more than one third of those jobs are gone. Most workers see no prospect of finding another job. "The problem here is that for every job we lose, it is five times harder to get a replacement than it would be anywhere else," said SIPTU branch secretary, Mr Declan Ferry.
According to the union, the future is bleak also for the 900 or so workers still employed in the industrial estate, many of whom are on short time. "I can see a lot of these remaining workforces dwindling further over the coming year," Mr Ferry said. "Manufacturing in the north west seems to be slowly coming to an end."
In the nearby Falcarragh Industrial Estate, there are now just two workers left out of 150 three years ago. The most recent job losses have come at Ruibear Motair Teo where 25 workers were laid off last week. Another 23, including Ms McGee, are losing their jobs later this month at MDR, which makes electronic circuit boards. Over the past two years, a company making telecommunications cables, SMTC, has let go more than 130 workers.
In addition, a number of factories have closed, including EPI which made plastic bags. James McGee was one of 23 people who lost their jobs when the plant closed in November because of the introduction of the Government's 15 cent levy on plastic bags.
Údarás na Gaeltachta, which has responsibility for the industrial estate, is being blamed primarily by workers.
At a meeting called by SIPTU last Thursday night, all local public representatives and general election candidates in the Donegal South-West constituency were invited to hear workers' concerns.
Údarás na Gaeltachta was criticised for not keeping workers informed. "The problem is there is no communication, no transparency. We see continual job losses and no apparent action to tackle the problem," said Mr Ferry.
It was decided at the meeting that a forum, involving Údarás, local politicians and worker representatives, would be set up to ensure people were kept informed of plans for the area.
Mr McGee and his fellow workers at EPI were particularly angry that Údarás sold off the factory's equipment over recent weeks without telling them in advance. Workers believed that with Údarás backing they could have diversified and saved jobs.
"There is a malaise within the hierarchy of Údarás, they are sitting in their ivory tower. If a factory closes, they still have their pay at the end of the week," he said. Mr McGee worked in the plant for 20 years and was a worker-director when it was owned by Údarás, before it was sold to an Italian company four years ago. It was the last plastic bag manufacturer in Ireland, producing high-quality bags for leading high street stores and was very successful. But overnight, the plastic bag levy put an end to all Irish customers, who accounted for half of the production.
In his view, Údarás did not do enough to entice other companies to take over the plant and workers on their own could not come up with the money to diversify.
"Nationally, 66 per cent of companies are supposed to be recruiting. But here in the Gweedore Industrial Estate, there isn't one recruiting, so something must be wrong with Údarás.
"There is no possibility of getting a job around here. I have a mortgage and three children and I don't want to leave my home area," he said.
Ann McGee cannot move away to find work. Unemployment means she will be unable to send her children to college, two of whom are due to finish school over the next two years, as third-level grants would not be sufficient. She also has to pay a mortgage. Ms McGee worked in MDR for 10 years and was a supervisor. "It was very bad news to get. I have a house built here and the children are at school, but with the job situation at the moment I can't see how I could get work."
Mr Liam Ó Cuinneagáin, who was appointed chairman of Údarás na Gaeltachta in February, attended the meeting in Gweedore. Best known for starting Oideas Gael, the very successful company specialising in Irish language courses in Glencolmcille, he is not as pessimistic about the future and says Údarás will concentrate on finding new strategies for a rapidly changing industrial climate.
"Obviously we are very upset with the job losses and we understand peoples' anger, but we have to face up to reality and plough on," he said.
The reality is that the parent companies of some of those in Gweedore are based in Germany, where unemployment is running at 13 per cent. Údarás officials were in Germany this week to try to secure remaining jobs, he said.
After the next national board meeting of Údarás na Gaeltachta at the end of the month, a regional meeting involving executives from Galway and Gweedore will discuss what can be done about job losses in Donegal.
A recent independent analysis of Údarás's work, carried out by Indecon Consultants, was also being reviewed to prioritise strategies for the long term. One recommendation was to find niche industries for particular regions.
Mr Ó Cuinneagáin believes this will be possible. Two new premises have been built in Gweedore which could accommodate IT companies.
From his experience in Oideas Gael, he believes it is possible to develop educational resources and software and this could also tie in with Irish language and culture. He points out that many Irish schools use software developed in the US for a range of subjects.
While trying to develop such ideas, Údarás will continue to try to attract foreign companies and it is at "discussion stage" with about 100, he said.
Infrastructure is a key issue, however. Údarás is in competition with the IDA to attract overseas companies and many prefer to go to urban areas. Mr Ó Cuinneagáin says pressure will have to be kept on the Government to improve infrastructure to ensure a level playing field.
The problems are well known. Mr Ferry describes roads into the area as "brutal" and broadband technology will not be brought to Gweedore for another two years.
There is also an urgent need to upgrade the power supply - a large power user could not be accommodated.
Plans by the ESB to bring in a 110kV power line failed after an An Bord Pleanála hearing and Mr Ferry criticises the ESB for not winning the support of local people for the project, and also for not coming forward with alternative proposals a year later.