Irish Govt 'Failing Young People'

Labour has accused the Government of failing young people following the publication of Central Statistics Office (CSO) figures.

Labour spokesperson on urban regeneration, Joe Costello, said: "The 2016 Census figures released by the CSO today make stark reading.

"They show that nearly half a million adults over 18 years of age are living with their parents. This is an increase of 4.4%. Nearly half or 215,000 were at work and a staggering 58.6% were male adults.

"The quality of life for young adult working males, in particular, has deteriorated sharply in recent years.  The shortage of affordable housing and the prevalence of low paid employment is playing havoc with young people's lives.

"And what is the Government's response?

"Last night on the Vincent Browne Program on TV3, the new Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, admitted that his Government would meet none of its targets on housing and homelessness during its lifetime.

"Thus, a generation of Irish youth which get up early in the morning and goes to work each day will continue to face the prospect of living with their parents and never having a place of their own.

"His further statement on the same program is even more worrying. He declared that it is belief that those working on the minimum wage which is only €9.25 per hour constitute 'middle Ireland.'

"This is indeed cold comfort for young working adults. It demonstrates that the Taoiseach is totally ignorant or totally uncaring of what people in poorly-paid employment, compelled to live their parents experience.

"Under the new Taoiseach Fine Gael has lurched massively to the right."

(MH/LM)