Youth Council reaction to CSO Quarterly Household Survey
– Calls for Government to step up implementation of Youth Guarantee –
The National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI) has issued a reminder that at 21.5% youth unemployment is still far too high.
New figures released today (21.05.15) by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) show that the unemployment rate for those aged under 25 stands at 21.5% for the first quarter of 2015.* This represents an increase of more than 1% compared to the last quarter of 2014 when the youth unemployment rate was 20.3%.**
Commenting on today’s figures James Doorley, NYCI deputy director said: “We should take these figures as a timely reminder that a continual and consistent focus must be kept on the issue of youth unemployment. The most recent figures show that there are 17,723 young people signing on the live register for 12 months or more. ***
“In particular, we are calling on Government to step up implementation of the Youth Guarantee, which is designed to ensure that any young person unemployed for four months or more is guaranteed a quality education, training or work experience place.”
The youth council has actively campaigned on the issue of youth unemployment for a number of years, in February the organisation launched a report on JobBridge entitled ‘Stepping Stone or Dead End’ which calls for reform of the scheme. The report is available at www.youth.ie/JobBridge
ENDS
Contact Daniel Meister, NYCI Communications Manager on 087 781 4903 or 01 425 5955 or communications@nyci.ie
Notes to Editors:
Sources:
*CSO statistical release, 21 May 2015, 11am Quarterly National Household Survey ,Quarter 1 2015:
www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/er/qnhs/quarterlynationalhouseholdsurveyquarter42014/#.VV3sAkZ2Z-y
**CSO Quarterly National Household Survey, 25 February 2015 (Quarter 4 2014): http://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/er/qnhs/quarterlynationalhouseholdsurveyquarter42014/#.VPb5XuG2rGx
*** https://www.kildarestreet.com/wrans/?id=2015-03-24a.143&s=%2236+months%22+section%3Awrans#g145.q
About National Youth Council of Ireland
NYCI is a membership-led umbrella organisation that represents and supports the interests of voluntary youth organisations and uses its collective experience to act on issues that impact on young people.
www.youth.ie