Taoiseach agrees to take a serious look at youth employment suggestions from Crowe

Sinn Féin’s spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, Trade and Diaspora, Seán Crowe TD, has received assurances from the Taoiseach that he will take a serious look into suggestions to reduce youth unemployment that Deputy Crowe raised with him in the Dáil.

Crowe raised the issue with the Taoiseach in the Dáil during Post-European Council statements, which focused on Ireland’s EU Presidency in 2013.

The Tallaght based TD said:

“It is good to hear that Ireland’s EU Presidency will focus on youth unemployment. Like everyone, across all parties and none, I want to see this acted on and delivered during the six months of Ireland’s Presidency.

“We know some countries in the European Union have introduced measures that have kept youth unemployment at a low level. Countries like Ireland, with an unacceptably high level of youth unemployment, need to look seriously at many of the credible and viable initiatives and adapt them to our local needs and conditions.

“Earlier this month, the EU Commission launched its action plan on youth jobs. Young people across Europe were waiting and hoping that something concrete would emerge or that new thinking would gain traction. The plan is welcome but it is weak and, crucially, it does not commit to any new funding to tackle youth unemployment as a problem that needs its own focus.

“Youth unemployment is running at approximately 30% in this State. In Dublin South-West it is over 40%, but some estates in Tallaght have rates far above that. If we could factor in the young people who have left because of the lack of work, the figure would increase dramatically.

“In the recent budget, one element created a push factor by reducing the time people are eligible for jobseeker’s benefit. We hope progress can be made on youth unemployment during the next six months but people are not holding their breath with the Commission’s weak and vague plan.

“My suggestion is that there is nothing stopping the launch of a young entrepreneurs fund during the Irish Presidency. It could be funded by the European Investment Bank and, in view of the crisis in youth unemployment, if the fund is too low nothing stops member states increasing their subscription to the EIB for such a fund.

“We should do something concrete during the Presidency. The Taoiseach referred to the employment, social policy, health and consumer affairs, EPSCO, meeting taking place during February, with youth unemployment the main focus. We need to move beyond that and put something concrete in place.

“There is a common agreement across society that youth unemployment is a major crisis facing all EU countries. I suggest putting something in place. There is a view that because of the timing this is falling on the shoulders of the Irish Presidency, but I would also like to think we are genuine in moving the issue of youth unemployment forward in 2013.

“The adaption of the funding arrangement could also be looked at in view of the crisis with the 50:50 requirement being altered to a more realistic 75:25 for youth jobs in disadvantaged communities and regions.

“The bank recapitalisation could call on something like €700 billion from the European Stability Mechanism. Surely we can come up with some realistic proposals emerging during the Presidency for such a project considering there is so much common agreement across Europe to tackle youth unemployment.”