Govt Accused Of 'Forcing Young People To Emigrate'

The government has been accused of "forcing thousands of young Irish people to emigrate" by Sinn Féin South Mayo Senator, Trevor Ó Clochartaigh.

"The real picture of emigration and unemployment is being masked by this government in the hundreds of thousands of people who have emigrated and the large numbers on so called 'activation' schemes," Deputy Ó Clochartaigh said.

"The reality is that 35,000 young Irish people (under 25s) emigrated from Ireland last year. This is still higher than the number that emigrated in 2010, and it is almost three times the number that were emigrating in 2006.

"CSO figures show that the majority of people emigrating were either at work or studying prior to leaving Ireland, with fewer than one in seven unemployed and half of emigrants having a third level degree or above.

"Research by the National Youth Council with emigrants shows that there is a broad range of factors in Ireland causing emigration and hindering the return of emigrants include precarious working conditions and poor salaries, a lack of career opportunities and limited career progression options in Ireland, the inability to have a career outside of Dublin and the increasing cost of living.

"The west has been disproportionately affected by the blight of emigration and this government have failed us here when it comes to sustaining our rural communities."

(MH/CD)