Emigration To Hit Quater Of Dublin Households...

Emigration set to hit one-in-four city households...

POLL: Quarter of young people want to leave.

MORE than one in four Dublin households will experience emigration within the next 12 months.

The scourge of forced emigration has yet to peak, a new poll of over 1,000 people has found.

A major brain-drain is on the horizon as 23pc of young people aged 18-24 say that they intend to leave Ireland by early 2012.

An analysis of the Millward Brown Lansdowne poll for the Herald shows that the exodus will include tradesmen, college graduates and other newly unemployed young people.

Almost one in ten (9pc) people interviewed said they personally intend to emigrate within the year.

And 20pc said another member of their household planned to move away to places like Australia, Canada or the US.

More men than woman are ready to move overseas but those leaving are spread across all social classes.

Around one in six are unemployed while one in eight are self-employed. The poll found that a slight majority of those preparing to emigrate are from the southside of the city.

Emigration has repeatedly been highlighted during the election campaign will all parties promising initiatives to stop the outflow.

But it appears that it may be too late for tens of thousands of people who are on the verge of leaving Ireland.

The exodus is not confined to teens or those in the early 20s, as the poll found that 16pc of Dubliners aged in the 25-34 category also intend to emigrate.

The figures drop substantially in the older age groups with just 4pc of 35-49 year olds intending to leave.

Another 2pc of over 65s currently living in Dublin will spend their retirement outside the country. Such is the number of Irish emigrants already abroad that an online ballot has been set-up for people to engage with the election.

Ballotbox.ie is an online poll for ex-pats who want to vote but are prevented from doing so by Irish law. It will publish the results on February 23.

With just nine days to go until the election the main parties are all vying for the support of those who feel they will have to leave the country.

As part of its campaign Fine Gael is promising to create opportunities at home. Their proposals include 23,000 new internships for unemployed graduates; 5,000 Community Employment places and 700 work placements for apprentices.


Report by Kevin Doyle - Evening Herald.