Statement by Senator Ivana Bacik: Youth Unemployment and a 'Lost Generation'

Labour Party Seanad Spokesperson on Justice, Equality and Law Reform
Wednesday, 10th February 2010

Urgent Measures Necessary to Tackle Youth Unemployment & Support A ‘Lost Generation'

At 5pm today in the Seanad, Senator Ivana Bacik will propose the Labour Private Members' Motion which notes with concern the rise in joblessness in Ireland, in particular the rise in youth unemployment, and which calls on the Government to implement a Jobs Strategy, including retraining and back to education support, to tackle this crisis.

Warning that the consequences of this sharp rise in youth unemployment will be felt for many years to come, Senator Bacik said:

“We know that over 74,000 people in Ireland under 25 are unemployed – and the CSO Quarterly Household Survey of July 2009 reported that a shocking 36.4% of those aged 15-19, and 23% of those aged 20-24 are in neither full-time education or in employment.”

“The key issue when we debate the recent rise in joblessness is therefore the generational impact that the current economic crisis is having. We are facing the reality of another ‘lost generation' in Ireland, as more and more young people are forced to emigrate for work.”

“The measures that we adopt to tackle unemployment must be targeted at supporting school-leavers and college leavers in re-training, improving their educational and skills levels, and assisting them in getting work. If we speak about unemployment in too general a way, we miss the point – this crisis is disproportionately affecting our 20-something generation. The Labour Youth document ‘Tackling Youth Unemployment' (Dec 2009) recognises this fact and puts forward innovative proposals to address this serious crisis.”


ENDS