Dear Deputies Brady, Donnelly, Harris, Matthews, and Whitmore,

We are constituents from Wicklow, who are calling on you to support young people in Budget 2024 by investing €9.4 million in young people and youth work.

It is a hard time for young people. COVID-19 impacted their mental health and social connections, and now, the cost-of-living crisis means many are struggling financially.

Youth work organisations say that deprivation among young people they work with is on the rise, and the need for youth services is growing dramatically as young people and their communities feel the effects of the cost-of-living crisis.

Youth workers are often a lifeline for young people, particularly for those who have the least. The wide range of activities provided by youth organisations support young people in their personal and social development, positive mental health, physical wellbeing, job skills and much more.

The rising cost of living is also placing a huge strain on youth work organisations themselves. A recent survey by the National Youth Council of Ireland revealed that nearly 3 in 5 organisations struggle to deliver vital youth work services because of inflation.

The Government must provide the necessary resources for these organisations to meet the growing needs of young people in Wicklow, and to provide an Ireland where young people can live, grow, and flourish.

That is why we are supporting the National Youth Council of Ireland in calling on the Government to invest an additional €9.4m in youth work services in Budget 2024, to provide more supports and activities for young people and meet the needs of our growing youth population. The NYCI and its members across the country believe this increase is needed to help ensure the sustainability of the sector, and deal with current challenges facing many services.

We request that you act on this call and use whatever avenues available to you to ensure that we see a Budget 2024 that invests in our young people.

Your constituents,