Disproportionate cut in funding for Youth Services will have a devastating impact on young people.
When Taoiseach Brian Cowen T.D. came to office last May he stated that “a focus on young people and their needs will be a particular priority for the Government”. Six months on we are extremely disappointed and angry that this promise has been reneged on with the news that funding to provide services and supports to young people have been cut by 10%.
This essential funding supported work by voluntary youth organisations with some of the most disadvantaged young people in our communities. Many of these youth projects are already being run on a shoestring, so any cutbacks will result in front line services and supports to young people being curtailed and/or closed.
In response the National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI) is calling on young people, youth groups and community groups to contact their local and national politicians to express their opposition to these callous cutbacks.
We know from our work that local Councillors will understand the negative impact of this decision as they are closest to their communities. Likewise we ask them to express their opposition to this decision to the Taoiseach; Minister for Finance, Brian Lenihan T.D.; the Minister for Children and Youth, Barry Andrews T.D.; and other Government Ministers and TDs. Unless these cutbacks are reversed, NYCI and our 56 member organisations plan to make this a major issue in the Local Elections next year.
The young people of Ireland deserve better than this.