Youth unemployment is a major concern for everyone – not just in Ireland, but across Europe. The implications of joblessness for young people can be devastating for their morale and hopes for the future. However, the long-term social and economic risks are a worry for all citizens.
Almost one-in-four people aged under 25 across Europe are now out of work. Ireland’s rate of youth unemployment currently stands at 26.5 per cent – down admittedly from 31 per cent a year ago, but still wholly unacceptable. Included in this cohort are first-generation migrants who have strong ambitions to succeed in their new home, but economic circumstances are holding them back.
Youth unemployment stunts the development, earning potential and, down the line, pension power of the next generation. It is also a drain on social welfare systems, promotes catastrophic long-term unemployment and fosters emigration.
It is against this backdrop that I have been campaigning for a European Youth Guarantee since becoming Dublin’s MEP. The Youth Guarantee is aimed at ensuring that a young person is offered employment, continued education, a traineeship or an apprenticeship within four months of becoming unemployed or leaving education.
Currently, when young people do find work, it is often low-quality and precarious employment that they enter into. Far too many young people are also in jobs that do not ensure a living wage. We must help ensure that more permanent, stable jobs are made available to young people.
The Youth Guarantee is founded on a rights-based approach to youth unemployment. By this, I mean that public employment services would be reconfigured to meet the needs of young people, rather than simply directing them to existing services that in many cases are failing them.
Following the successful campaign, led by my own group the Socialists and Democrats, in the European Parliament, European resources are now being dedicated to tackling youth unemployment.
The Irish Presidency of the EU was important in making youth unemployment a key issue. Under the leadership of Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton, European social ministers agreed in February to initiate a European Youth Guarantee. When the new European budget was agreed by Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore in June, €8bn of this was ring-fenced to combat youth unemployment over the coming years, starting in January 2014.
While Ireland’s total from this fund is as yet unknown, I am now campaigning for at least one-third of our total allocation to go to Dublin city and county to implement a Youth Guarantee. A special focus on Dublin is critical, because that’s where the problem is at its worst, with 17, 400 of our youth without a job.
In recent months I have been running conference to promote the Youth Guarantee throughout Dublin. With financial assistance in sight, we now need the support and encouragement of employment services, community groups and individuals across Dublin. By working together in responding to youth unemployment, we are investing in everyone’s future in Dublin.
For further information about my work on the Youth Guarantee, see www.emercostello.ie or contact me directly at emer.costello@europarl.europa.eu or 01 874 6109.
Emer Costello is MEP for Dublin and a member of the Labour Party.
