Slight increase in number of people signing on at Buncrana social welfare office

New figures show that 1,410 people were signing on the Live Register in the Inishowen area in February 2026, a slight increase compared to the previous month but lower than the figure recorded a year earlier.

The latest CSO data reveals that unemployment in Inishowen rose marginally from 1,396 people in January 2026. However, the total remains below the February 2025 level, when 1,436 people were claiming jobseekers benefits in the peninsula.

A breakdown of the February 2026 figures shows an almost 50-50 gender split, with 723 men signing on at the Buncrana social welfare office, compared to 687 women.

The data also highlights the age profile of those seeking financial support, with just 142 people aged 18-24, while the vast majority – 1,268 claimants – were aged 25 or older.

Those aged 25 and older are entitled to payments of €254 per week, while those aged younger than that and still living at home may claim up to €163.70.

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Although the latest total represents a small monthly increase, unemployment levels remain far below the peak recorded during the economic downturn of the last decade and a half. The highest figure on record for the area came in February 2011, when 4,965 people in Inishowen were claiming jobseekers, almost four times the current figure.

Across the wider county, unemployment also showed a slight improvement. The number of people on the Live Register across County Donegal stood at 7,370 in February 2026, a marginal decrease from the 7,394 people recorded the previous month.

The figures suggest that while small fluctuations continue month to month, unemployment across both Inishowen and the wider county remains significantly lower than levels seen during the aftermath of the financial crisis.