Press Release
Monday 26th August
Event: Photo Stunt at Knock Airport Re: Emigration and Youth Guarantee
Location: Knock Airport, County Mayo
Hard Knock Life for the Youth of Ireland
ACROSS the west of Ireland today, colleges are calling on the government to tackle the youth employment and emigration problems that Ireland has been experiencing the past few years. The colleges NUIG (National University of Ireland, Galway), GMIT (Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology), IT Sligo, St. Angela’s Sligo, Athlone IT and the USI (Union of Students in Ireland) united today at Knock Airport for a photo stunt to hammer home the message to the government that emigration is an issue that needs to be sorted before more of the youth of Ireland leave to find employment that they just cannot get in Ireland.
Kevin Donoghue, Vice President for Border, Midlands and Western Region of USI said:
“Emigration is a serious issue for people of all ages. As many as two hundred people are leaving this country every day, and are taking their skills with them. USI’s pre-budget submission calls on the government to make a significant investment in the youth guarantee to avoid continuation of trends like this.
Families up and down the country have been forced to wave off children as they leave Ireland in search of work elsewhere. With over 30% of under-25s being unemployed investment in the youth guarantee will go a long way towards closing the generation gap that has begun to emerge in Irish society. Young people want to live and work in Ireland but a lack of action on behalf of the government to deal with the issues causing emigration means that many of us are forced to leave”.
ENDS
For more information contact USI Communications & Research Executive Grainne O’Reilly on 087-6776636, or 01-9052100