Up to 58,000 young jobseekers in Ireland are likely to emigrate in the next 12 months, according to research conducted by the National Youth Council of Ireland. The findings relate to a study carried out prior to this week’s budget - which showed that 70 per cent of 18 to 25 year olds questioned said they intended to emigrate in the next year unless prospects in Ireland improved. The study also highlighted the wish from students that the Government would invest money in the budget in education and work experience to help stem the flow of forced emigration.
In October the number of young people on the Live Register stood at 83,000 and, based on these figures, the NYCI asserts there up to 58,000 young people could be forced to emigrate.
“These figures do not take into account the number of young people who may plan to leave Ireland following graduation from college or training and are not on the Live Register. NYCI believes that if the Government is serious about stemming the massive flow of emigration it must give young people some hope and a credible plan to provide alternatives to emigration,” said James Doorley, assistant director of NYCI.
Among the measures proposed by NYCI is a significant increase in the number of real education and training places provided by third level colleges, VECs, and other education and training providers, in particular for young people with limited qualifications; an expansion of the VTOS and Youthreach programmes; the re-introduction of free college places scheme for jobseekers; no charges for courses such as the PLC courses; expansion of the work placement programme and access to meaningful work experience; further incentives for employers to take on participants — only 4,700 jobseekers have availed of the programme to date largely because the opportunities are not there; and the introduction of the social employment scheme as proposed last September, allowing young people work in the community and voluntary sector for 20 hours a week for which they would receive a top up payment in addition to social welfare entitlements.
“We believe that our well educated, dynamic, and energetic young people can be the drivers of economic and social recovery, if given the chance,” Mr Doorley added. “We want to see measures that will give jobseekers hope and will allow young people make a contribution and up-skill so that they are well placed to return to work when the economy picks up. In summary, we are going to have a mass exodus unless we have some stimulus in education, training, and work experience programmes.”
