Dublin MEP, Emer Costello, has welcomed the European Parliament's proposal to extend the scope European Youth Guarantee, to include thousands more unemployed young people.
“The Employment and Social Affairs Committee of the European Parliament has recommended that those eligible for the Youth Guarantee be extended from those under 25 years of age, to those under 30 years of age, which would qualify thousands more Irish people for the scheme.
“The €6bn Youth Guarantee is aimed at tackling the unacceptably high levels of youth unemployment across Europe. It will ensure that young people are offered employment, continued education, an apprenticeship or a traineeship within four months of leaving full time education or becoming unemployed. Funding for the scheme is due to become available in 2014.
“An extension of the age-limit for the Youth Guarantee would be welcomed, as unemployment remains acute for those aged 25-29. While there are currently 61,000 under 25’s currently looking for work, that figure is increased to approximately 100,000 when extended to under-30.
“The Government has rightly made youth unemployment a key priority of Ireland's EU presidency and has already made good progress on this front, especially in brokering agreement on the European Youth Guarantee. I would now urge it to prioritise the adoption of the new proposal to establish a European Youth Employment Initiative, and to include its extension to under 30’s, before the end of its term of office in June.”
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