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ON THE DAY of his election An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar spoke about creating a “republic of opportunity”. Although an admirable vision for the country, we have a long way to go to make such noble ambitions a reality, particularly for young people struggling to find decent employment.
A decade on from the economic crisis Ireland is a different country. The recession left scars on all our citizens, impacted as they were by unemployment, debt, cuts in income supports and the withdrawal of social services, and young people were hit harder than most.
Growth in precarious employment
It is welcome that youth unemployment has declined from 31% in 2012 to 15% today and more young people are at work. However in the last decade, major changes have taken place in the labour market, with significant growth in precarious employment. This trend impacts in particular on young people.
Many young workers are having the traditional entry into well-paid and secure employment elongated and frustrated by low pay, temporary employment, and by the so-called “if and when contracts”, where there are no guaranteed hours of work and equally importantly no certainty in your weekly pay packet.
A significant proportion of young people working in post-crash Ireland are in precarious employment, which brings with it financial uncertainty and impacts on personal and family life, and on health and well-being. A survey by Red C published by the National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI), shows that almost half of people aged 18 to 29 in Ireland are on non-standard contracts, and more than one third are on temporary contracts and in part-time work.
Precarity even at age 29
The increased prevalence of these “if and when” and other non-standard contracts are having wide ranging impacts on the family, social and educational opportunities of young people. The Red C survey for NYCI found that almost two-thirds agreed that such contracts make it difficult to plan personal and family life.
Such contracts also inhibit upskilling as workers cannot commit to attending a weekly course. Likewise, how are young people meant to plan for their future when they are not even in a position to take out a personal loan?
The data shows that younger people under 25 that are recent entrants to the labour market are more likely to be on a temporary contract. However, even among the 25 to 29 year old age cohort over a third are on temporary contracts, meaning that this is a situation affecting all young people right up the age ranges. They are living with precarious work aged 29 and beyond.
Legislation welcome but more needed
An Taoiseach announced recently that the government would prioritise new laws restricting “if and when” contracts. This is to be welcomed but legislation alone will not be enough to address the issue.
The NYCI is calling on the government to provide a comprehensive strategy to tackle low quality and precarious work.
Rural and class dimension
Any such strategy would need to combat the rural and class divides emerging from the data: precarious employment is more prevalent among young people from lower socioeconomic groups, with only one third of working-class respondents saying that they have regular full-time hours. While precarious employment is an issue in Dublin, the Red C research found that it was more prevalent outside Dublin.
Too many young people are not only struggling to find work, but work that gives them a decent salary and quality of life. The government must prioritise tackling low pay, temporary employment and “if and when contracts” to help lift this generation out of a state of insecurity and give real meaning to the promise of a “republic of opportunity”.
James Doorley is Deputy Director at the National Youth Council of Ireland, which represents youth organisations working with over 380,000 young people. The “Republic of Opportunity or State of Insecurity?” event took place in Dublin yesterday 23 October and brings together think tanks, academia, the trade union movement, labour market specialists and the youth sector to explore precarious employment and work quality.
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Yes, and they’re the only other EU country with an opt-out of the EU migration pacts also, which they utilised to great success.
It just means enforcing pre-existing laws. Something that our Dept of Justice can’t or won’t do for some reason.
(Denmark CHOSE to opt in to the temporary Ukrainian asylum pact)
@Finn Barr: You’re obsessed with immigration
Ha! I’ve been to Denmark, and I have spent a lot of time in Spain (not as a tourist)… And I can confirm, there’s no place like Ireland.
@Seriously Really: I’m just curious if you don’t mind, what are the main differences between the three countries that make Ireland a better place than Denmark or Spain for you? xxx
@mariona l: To be pedantic, Seriously Really didn’t say that Ireland was better, just that there is no place like it.
(Although that might have been the intention.)
@Seriously Really: Yes, I wish they’d asked Irish people whether they’d been to the other countries for more than a fortnight’s holiday!
No countries are quite alike. I think some respondents chose a country that they spent pleasant holidays in. The Danes make an intensive use of their agricultural land. Their cities are zoned and carefully landscaped. Danish personality attitudes may be very different from Irish.
If only our country was as progressive. Imagine living in a country with good public services.
No reporting on attempted child abduction in dublin by migrant yesterday any news journal
@david duncan: do a Google search for “attempted abduction dublin” and you’ll find all the reports you need, even by the Journal.ie. Just because you didn’t see it doesn’t mean it’s not there.
@Oretani Wildlife: I was curious and try to find myself.
The reports you’re talking about seem to be all from last week.
David is talking about yesterday and all I could find are some stories on “X” with an “EXCLUSIVE” interview by right-wing buddy Gavin Pepper.
Why does ‘TEAM IRELAND not recognise irish people !??
“Denmark supports a high standard of living—its per capita gross national product is among the highest in the world—with well-developed social services. The economy is based primarily on service industries, trade, and manufacturing; only a tiny percentage of the population is engaged in agriculture and fishing.”
@Thesaltyurchin: Is that a quote, & from where? True enough that Irish people aren’t as interested in fishing – historical reasons there – but we have a large agricultural economy, surely?
You have an incorrect spelling there for Connacht FYI.
Interesting that Labour supporters have an affinity with that reservoir of the far-right.
@ItWasLikeThatWhenIGotHere: Denmark a reservoir of the far-right? What a ludicrous comment. Its government consists of social democrats, liberals and moderates.
Of all the established parties in Ireland, SF attracts the most support from those with right-wing views on immigration etc.
@Brendan O’Brien: Read my comment again, Brendan.
Read.
And try to understand.
@Brendan O’Brien: That’s because those people were too ignorant to realise that Sinn Fein are a pro immigration party up until recent events. That was always going to come and SF don’t know how to deal with it.
@Brendan O’Brien: yet their policy is open boarders
A Dubliner dies and goes to heaven, St Peter shows him his new mansion as he always wanted, a park to walk the dogs, a leasing centre, there was no heat, no cold, no sickness, just pure peace and quiet as he always wished. He sat in the benches watching people walk their dogs, played football with others. He got bored after a week, asking St Peter if he could see he’ll. St Peter told him that there’s a days package to visit he’ll, just go to the lift, press the 666 and wait to go down.
When the doors opened , there’s was party music playing, a Vegas casino, people serving drinks, weed, his old friends were there. He hit the jackpot at the a lot machine, got drunk, stoned, got lucky with a devil girl.
At 6am he came back drunk to heaven and asked St Peter to take out his name off heaven, that he was going to hell: “All what you wished while you were alive, peace, security, health, you got it here in heaven, if I do this, there will be no turning back” St Peter warned him. “So what, it’s boring here, back home I had to hustle, I had adrenaline, I got nothing here”.
The Dubliner went back to the lift, pressed 666, but when the doors opened, there was no Vegas, no music, no friends, drinks, no fun, just 7 giant burning pots. A demon grabbed him with his trident and put him into a burning pot. The Dubliner suffering shouted for the Devil, he appeared saying “what do you want?”..”Devil, I was here yesterday and I had a lot of fun, now I’m getting screwed, what’s the story man?”.. “well, let that be a lesson that one thing is being a tourist and the other is being an immigrant”.
@J Ven: eejit.
@bruce banner. Never mind good, I’d settle for living in a country with public services.
more eu propaganda….bit like Hitler in the late 30′s
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