New figures show 18,481 long-term unemployed young people.
New ILO report confirms youth unemployment still double pre-crisis rate.
The National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI) has expressed concern at the high youth unemployment rate of 20.6%* and the latest figures showing that over 18,000 young people are long-term unemployed.
The Youth Council – which represents youth organisations working with over 380,000 young people nationwide – has called on Government to tackle youth unemployment in next Tuesday’s budget.
NYCI Deputy Director James Doorley said: “Youth unemployment is still high, at twice the pre-crisis rate. A report published yesterday (08.10.15) by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) confirmed that Ireland is one of the European countries where the youth unemployment rate remains double the rate it was in 2008.** Moreover, the latest figures show that over 18,000 young people have been on the live register for one year or more.” ***
Proposal: restore €188 per week for education, training and work experience programmes
The NYCI’s Pre-Budget Submission proposes that Government restore the adult rate of €188 per week for all young people participating in education, training and work experience programmes.
“This would serve two purposes,” explained Mr Doorley. “First, it would assist the Government in meeting its commitments under the Youth Guarantee**** and, second, it would support young people to gain the qualifications, skills and experience necessary to secure employment as the economy recovers.”
The previous and current Government reduced welfare payments to young people under 26 years of age. According to the Youth Council, the Government justified these cuts partly on the basis that it would incentivise young people to take up the additional education, training and work experience opportunities it provided.
Mr Doorley said: “This policy is short sighted and further undermined by decisions to cut various activation payments and training allowances to young people under 26 moving from welfare to education, training and work experience.
“The training allowance for young people participating on the Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme, Youthreach, Community Training Centre Programmes and other SOLAS training has been reduced from €188 per week to €160 per week. From January 2014, the payment to those participating on the Back to Education Allowance Programme was cut to €160 per week and for JobBridge interns who were on €100 prior to participation they end up on a €150 per week while working between 35-40 hours a week.
“While the overall number of young people unemployed continues to decline, there is still a significant number, largely victims of the recession, who are long term unemployed. As the economy recovers and more jobs become available it is vital that this cohort of young people are given the chance and supports to enable them to get onto the employment ladder. The cost of our proposal is modest in the overall budgetary arithmetic, however the social and economic benefits of the proposal for young jobseekers and Irish society are significant,” concluded Mr Doorley.
ENDS
For further information, please contact Daniel Meister, Communications Manager at NYCI on 01 425 5955 or 087 781 4903 or email communications@nyci.ie
Notes to Editors:
National Youth Council of Ireland
The National Youth Council of Ireland 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.
*CSO statistical release, 29 September 2015: Monthly Unemployment:
http://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/er/mue/monthlyunemploymentseptember2015/
**ILO: GLOBAL EMPLOYMENT TRENDS FOR YOUTH 2015
http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/—dgreports/—dcomm/documents/publication/wcms_412015.pdf
***Dail Debates – Written answers: Question No: 45 Ref No: 34804-15, on Wednesday, 7th October, 2015.
****Youth Guarantee Scheme
The Youth Guarantee is designed to ensure that any young person unemployed for four months or more is guaranteed a quality education, training or work experience place.