23/05/2013

Call For 'Urgent Action' Following New Eurostat Figures

Sinn Féin youth affairs spokesperson, Senator Kathryn Reilly, has called for "urgent action" from Government following the publication of new Eurostat figures, which show that "the youth unemployment crisis continues".

Senator Reilly said: "Eurostat's latest report on regional unemployment rates makes for grim reading. Ireland is above the EU average on all indicators.

"Significantly, the levels of unemployment, long-term unemployment and youth unemployment are higher in the border, midland and western regions.

"Youth unemployment at 30.4% remains substantially higher than the EU average of 22.9%.

"Despite their rhetoric Government is just not doing enough to stem the tide of youth unemployment. It is now three months since the European Council agreed to launch a EU wide youth employment initiative. Despite this no action has yet been taken by the Irish government.

"There is talk of a pilot youth guarantee project in North Dublin. However given the scale of the crisis there is an urgent need to develop and roll out a youth guarantee state-wide as soon as possible.

"In the coming weeks, I will be bringing forward a report to the Oireachtas European Affairs Committee on the issue of a youth guarantee, the aim of which is to inform government policy of the strengths and weaknesses of similar schemes in other EU member states."

(CD/MH)


Related Northern Ireland Recruitment News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

12 November 2013
No Words Of Comfort For NI Youth Unemployed - Nesbitt
Ulster Unionist Leader, Mike Nesbitt MLA, is highlighting the fact that deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness has no words of comfort for Northern Ireland's youth unemployed. Mr Nesbitt's comments follow Martin McGuinness's statement to the Assembly concerning Friday's meeting of the North-South Ministerial Council.
30 April 2013
Minister To Host Youth Unemployment Conference
Sinn Fein MEP, Martina Anderson, today launched details of a major conference she is hosting on Friday 7th June on the issues of youth unemployment in Ireland and the EU's 'Youth Guarantee' proposals.
04 July 2012
SDLP Youth Launches Jobs4OurGeneration Campaign
SDLP Youth launched their survey on youth unemployment at the Parliament Buildings, Stormont. The survey, which is part of the group's Jobs4OurGeneration campaign, will canvass the opinions and concerns of young people across the North during the summer months about what measures could be taken to combat youth joblessness.
01 March 2012
We Must Demand Cohesion From Executive To Tackle Youth Unemployment - SDLP
SDLP Employment and Learning Spokesperson Pat Ramsey has taken officials from the Department of Employment and Learning to task for their failure to show cross-departmental leadership on strategies for young people not in education, employment or training.
21 February 2012
Discussions On Plan To Tackle Youth Unemployment Begins
Labour TD Dominic Hannigan welcomes the meetings today between the European Commission and Irish officials to tackle youth unemployment.