Jobs carnage in Athlone if An Bord Snip Nua report is implemented

The public sector in Athlone could be ripped to shreds if proposed recommendations made by 'An Bord Snip Nua' to cut hundreds of jobs in education, local authorities and state agencies are implemented by the Government. The local government system in Athlone and possibly Westmeath and Roscommon could face extinction if the recommendations of An Bord Snip Nua to reduce and even amalgamate some local authorities are fully implemented. The group, headed by economist Colm McCarthy, published the report late last week. They recommend that Athlone Town Council, along with every other town council in the country, should be abolished to save taxpayers' money. The group also calls for the elimination of 12 county councils which could mean that Westmeath and Roscommon County Councils' functions could be merged with another county. This would mean cuts in council administration and executive jobs, as well as town councillors losing their positions. And the report's recommendations get worse. A total of 132 people, employed in the Department of Education's teacher payroll unit in Athlone, could lose their jobs if the group's recommendations are adopted. It's recommended that all regional offices of the IDA and Enterprise Ireland, of which two are in Athlone, should also be merged, along with FÁS cutbacks. The group recommends total staff reductions of 329 within these two bodies and 109 staff cuts at FÁS. Gardaí, teachers and Defence Force members are also targeted, with the group recommending longer hours for teachers, a cut in substitute teachers, Special Needs' Assistants and English language teachers. Rural garda stations should be closed, garda pay should be cut and over 500 job losses within the Defence Forces, not to mention more barracks' closures, are also recommended by the group, led by Colm McCarthy. "Targeted reductions" to services across all three CIÉ companies, focused firstly on off-peak, low patronage services is also recommended. This would ultimately result in further driver job losses. The wide-ranging report which outlined potential savings of over €5 billion also called for the abolition of Westmeath County Enterprise Board, the RAPID programme which is run in six areas of Athlone, LEADER, Westmeath Community Development, Westmeath County Council, Athlone Community Taskforce, the Westmeath Community and Voluntary Forum and Westmeath VEC.