Young people under 23 are considered old enough to be put in jail or to join the army for example, and when working pay the same tax as other workers, yet when it comes to receiving basic social welfare they are being treated as some form of lesser being. It’s the government’s fault, not young peoples’ fault that there are no jobs or future in this country. Now they’re expecting young people to live on 160 euro a week!
The government is most likely gearing up to lower the minimum wage. Cutting the dole can force young people into jobs on a lowered minimum wage. The government’s agenda is to ‘regain competitiveness’ for Ireland, ie bring in poverty wages and destroy standards of living. Therefore this cut to the dole for under 23s must be opposed by all young and working people as it’s linked to this agenda.
The government’s policies have resulted in a jobs crisis that is the biggest threat to the future of young people. The basic right to a decent job is already being denied to tens of thousands of young people. 1 in 5 under 25s is now unemployed. The government’s drastic attack on unemployed under 23s year olds must be fought by all young people. The government is threatening all our futures through mass unemployment and cuts. Defeating this scrooge-like victimisation of unemployed young people can be the first step towards building a powerful movement of young people to fight for jobs.
PROTEST at 1pm on FRIDAY, Dec 4th outside the DAIL
