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Labour Youth slams new graduate employment scheme as tokenistic

Issued : Wednesday 10 February, 2010

National Chairperson of Labour Youth, Rory Geraghty said:

"There are currently more than 74,000 people under the age of 25 unemployed in the country. The Gradlink placement scheme launched yesterday by Ibec, and supported by the Minister for Social and Family Affairs is simply tokenistic and will do little to reduce that drastic figure.

"Despite the dramatic figure of 74,000 people, the Government is only offering minimal help. I note that so far only 20 people have been facilitated by this scheme, a paltry figure by any reckoning.

"If the Government is serious about tackling Youth Unemployment then they need to roll out this scheme on a much wider basis.

"Labour Youth published detailed proposals in our document "Tackling Youth Unemployment" http://www.labour.ie/download/pdf/labyouthprebudget.pdf, in December.

"In that document we called for the introduction of a meaningful graduate and apprentice placement scheme to give first time job seekers an opportunity to develop their skills and gain experience.

"We also called for the expansion of places made available to recent graduates in the existing FAS schemes."