Problems of Border workers to be raised

Different social welfare entitlements, the cost of housing and the non-recognition of some qualifications were among the obstacles to people crossing the Border to work, a meeting in Co Monagahan was told last night.

The public meeting, in Carrickmacross, was part of a study of obstacles to cross-Border mobility being carried out for the North-South Ministerial Council by PricewaterhouseCoopers. The objective, according to a spokesman for the company, is to identify and assess the barriers to people crossing the Border in either direction to work.

Last night's meeting was one in a series of "roadshows" intended to bring the research out among the people and to get grassroots feedback, he said.

"The barriers may be physical.

For example, the nearest place of employment to a person might be two miles away, but because it's over the Border they can't get a bus, so they end up working 20 miles away on their side of the Border. Or they may be more complex. For example, there may be problems transferring their pension entitlements because there is no protocol to do so."

Once the obstacles have been identified and assessed, the authors will recommend solutions which should be employed by the public and private sectors. The report will be published during the summer.