Labour Youth: Strategy to deal with rising youth unemployment urgently needed
Issued : Wednesday 2 December, 2009
Labour Youth launched their proposal ‘Tackling Youth Unemployment’ today highlighting how the rising problem of youth unemployment can be tackled.
There are currently over 100,000 people young people unemployed and not in full-time education. Within this number, there is a shocking 23% of those aged 20-24 years, amongst 14-19 year olds this figure is significantly higher at 36.4%.
Speaking at the launch, Labour Youth Chair, Rory Geraghty said: “These figures represent a tripling in youth unemployment since the current Government took power. They seem to have no regard for the young people of this country. We’re becoming the lost generation. Our choice should not be limited to the airport or the dole queue. We want opportunities.
“Today Labour Youth is launching a coherent plan to help young people upskill and find new employment. Furthermore, our document outlines ways at dealing with the social problems of depression and anxiety caused by long term unemployment. I would urge the Minister to take these suggestions into account, in advance of next week’s budget.”
Labour Youth Vice-Chair, Kirsten Gordon said: "The lack of a coherent youth unemployment strategy by the Government demonstrates their lack of long-term vision and blatant short sightedness; not only for the future generation but for the future of this country. Labour Youth's youth unemployment policy document presents practical measures to curb youth unemployment. Maintaining social welfare payments, more work placement schemes and more graduate schemes is a start of an uphill battle to ensure that the unemployed graduates are not left at the bottom of the Government's priorities."
