By Eamon Quinn
Large parts of the Munster workforce are vulnerable to a prolonged economic crisis from the Covid-19 fallout, figures suggest.
However, the immediate Cork area may get some sort of reprieve because of the large number of people working in the pharmaceuticals’ industry. The figures, which were produced for the Irish Examiner by the CSO, reveal for the first time the huge number of jobs that are likely to be vulnerable to the economic downturn in each region.
They also provide pointers for the Government to direct the firepower of its proposed economic recovery package because certain regions rely heavily on accommodation and retail services, the worst hit sectors in the Covid-19 crisis.
In the south-west, covering Co Cork and Co Kerry, the figures show 48,400 people worked in wholesale and retail at the start of the crisis, while 32,000 people were working in in accommodation and food service.
At 10,700 jobs, the region has relatively few people employed in protected public administration, although it has some economic resilience with 40,700 people employed in healthcare at the start of the crisis.
The south-west also has a large number of industrial jobs clustered in the Cork area, in chemicals and pharmaceuticals, which will likely provide resilience.
In the south-east, which includes Co Waterford, Co Carlow, Co Kilkenny, and Co Wexford, there were 14,600 people employed in accommodation and food services, and 27,100 in wholesale and retail at the onset of the Covid-19 crisis.
In the mid-west, which covers Co Clare, Co Limerick, and Co Tipperary, there were 26,600 people employed in wholesale and retail, and 15,900 in accommodation and food service.
The Dublin region, which includes the four local authority areas, has large numbers employed in potential vulnerable areas.
However, the figures show the Dublin region has huge numbers employed in the likely resilient areas such as the multinationals, which employ 84,800 people in information and communication alone; as well as 50,600 in public administration.
