Government introduces savage cuts to most vulnerable young people in the Budget
December 9th 2009
The National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI) opposes the slashing of Jobseeker’s Allowance to a paltry €100 for young people aged 20 to 21 and €150 to those between 22 to 24 who are unemployed. These cutbacks are more severe than proposed in the McCarthy report and we believe it is a misguided and short-sighted policy that will do nothing for young people and the economy.
Ireland has the 2nd highest youth unemployment in Western Europe, with 1 in 3 young men under 25 out of work*. NYCI is calling for a plan of investment and stimulus to get young people back into education, training and work, not a programme of cuts and austerity. Young people are crying for educational and training opportunities, as evidenced by the FÁS study• which showed a 60% increase in demand for education and training. The reality is that the places are not there, having cut these payments there is now an onus on the Government to provide these places.
“We know there are 74,000 young people are out of work and these changes will have a significant impact on many of them who have already undergone a means test which demonstrates that they have no or limited alternative income. To slash that by half will drive many who are already struggling further into debt and poverty. To cut supports by such a large amount for those young people with limited income makes a mockery of Government promises that the Budget will be fair and will protect the vulnerable. The only incentive given to young people in this Budget is to emigrate. That is short-sighted as we will lose many talented and skilled young people who could have been the drivers of recovery and renewal,” stated James Doorley, Assistant Director at NYCI.
The proposal is being presented as if young people are unwilling to take up education, training or workplace programmes. This is simply untrue. The vast majority of young people who are unemployed are looking for meaningful education, training opportunities and workplace experience. The Government initiative to start a workplace programme was welcomed. However, only 500 places° have been provided for young people under 25, which is woefully inadequate when 74,000 young people+ are out of work. The reality is that the training courses and educational opportunities are not there to meet the demand.
NYCI wants to get young people off benefits and back to work. Therefore as part of a stimulus plan to get the country going again we believe that Government must guarantee every young person out of work a meaningful and appropriate training, education or workplace opportunity within three months of becoming unemployed. We are concerned that the real motive here is just to cut benefits and not anything to do with the needs of young people.
Download our full post budget analysis here
ENDS
For further information, please contact Clodagh O’Brien, Communications Officer at NYCI on 087 781 4903 or 01 425 5955 or e-mail communications@nyci.ie.
Notes to Editors:
*Eurostat data on youth unemployment July 2009 - http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/cache/ITY_PUBLIC/3-23072009-BP/EN/3-23072009-BP-EN.PDF.
+ CSO Quarterly Household Survey Sep 09
• FÁS Data available at http://www.fas.ie/en/About+Us/News/4+November+2009.htm.
° Dáil Question #100, 2nd December 2009
National Youth Council of Ireland
The National Youth Council of Ireland is a membership-led umbrella organisation that represents and supports the interests of 55 voluntary youth organisations and uses its collective experience to act on issues that impact on young people.
ENDS
For further information, please contact Clodagh O’Brien, Communications Officer at NYCI on 087 781 4903 or 01 425 5955 or email communications@nyci.ie