Generation Debt

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GENERATION Friday, December 10, 2010

DEBT

TESTAMENT OF YOUTH

BUDGET 2011

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Frontline services saved but other cuts will bite

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HE Government has said it has protected frontline education services in Tuesday’s budget but a range of other cuts and higher education costs will almost certainly make it far more difficult to achieve the smart economy we all aspire to.

The government’s budget measures came on the same day that the OECD, an international economic organisation, found that the drop in the reading ability of Irish 15-year-olds was bigger than in more than 30 developed countries in the past decade.

While this meant reading ability remained near the average for the OECD region it could not be ignored that previous reports have shown we are well below the average in maths achievement.

As the body representing second level principals has said: It is simply not good enough to be average.

While reasonable question marks do hang over the rate of decline reported by the OECD the fact is that enough evidence exists for continued and warranted concern.

Tánaiste Mary Coughlan has underlined her commitment to improving outcomes by reforming teacher training and addressing some of the subject overload faced by primary and second level pupils.

However, she and her government has quickly returned to sharpening the axe on a range of education services.

These include measures that will make it harder for all but the children of high-earning families to go to college, including a further 4% cut to grant rates and an increase in the student contribution by one-third to F2,000 a year.

The extension of the distance from college that students must live to get a higher grant rate will also lead to hardship for thousands of families.

The budget will also do little to address the horrible statistic which sees one in five secondary students leave school without their leaving cert.

Further cuts are planned to resources aimed at improving this situation.

The planned increase in educational psychologists to help assess those with special needs has also been deferred. Supports for less well-off students and those more likely to perform poorly at school or to attend college also face further deterioration.

The Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme will have 200 fewer posts and a 5% cut in funding, 125 fewer teachers will be allocated to help students whose first language is not English and 47 teachers helping disadvantaged rural schools are being axed.

The cost of getting to school, particularly in rural areas, is also set to rise by F50 to F350 a year for every second level child travelling on school buses and primary pupils will have to pay F50 a year for the first time.

The frontline may have avoided the axe but the less well-off may feel they have been sent to the trenches.

■ Niall Murray Education Correspondent

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GENERATION DEBT

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Time to give youth a chance

Youth can drive our recovery, if given the chance

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HEN is a knowledge economy no longer a knowledge economy?

When the employment and education cuts it implements to save the economy directly and indirectly impact on the next generation’s opportunity to educate itself.

The cabinet may reject the claim, but Tuesday’s F6 billion of budget cuts will do little to stimulate the economy and bring us back to recovery.

Instead — according to representative groups for those in school, college and just starting out in their search for work — it risks discouraging the future of Ireland from continuing their education, and could pressure them to leave their homeland altogether.

The most pressing issues can be seen in education.

As a result of budget 2011, a total of 150 planned teacher appointments are to be deferred and a reduction of up to 1,200 posts will take place from next September, saving F24 million in salaries, rising to F98 million by 2014.

School support services for pupils from the Traveller community and those with language needs will also be cut, as will those for DEIS schools.

The number of grants offered to secondary schools and VECs will be reduced by 5%, and college registration fees will rise to F2,000.

The Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) said the budget plans amount to saving the economy money now by “storing up problems for the future” — both for the country’s education system and society in general.

“While we note that the general pupil-teacher ratio remains unchanged, second-level schools are now at breaking point as a result of previous cuts to education,” warned the union’s general secretary Pat King. “Schools are reporting serious concerns about student welfare due to larger classes and less pastoral care support and staff.

Friday | December 10 | 2010 | An Irish Examiner publication

Cutbacks in education and youth support spending are damaging the life chances of a generation, writes Fiachra Ó Cionnaith

“In addition, the budget further compromises the future life chances of vulnerable young people including young Traveller students, international/newcomer students, and students of the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme.

The cuts in education and youth support could cause Ireland long-term problems including emigration, a workforce less attractive to investors and social unrest.

“Schools and teachers working with these pupils will lose specialised teaching staff and many of these students will leave school early,” he insisted.

Outside of the education system, the National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI) is equally concerned about what impact the austerity measures outlined by Finance Minister Brian Lenihan will have on employment opportunities for the 83,000 young people currently out of work in Ireland and those following them over the coming years.

“We are concerned about the announcement of 5,000 places in the skills development and internship programme which is dependent on private sector employers who, to date, have been slow to take on young people on work experience programmes,” said James Doorley, assistant director of the NYCI. “Young people and youth services have taken big hits in previous budgets and this one is no different.

There is little in the way of real investment in job creation and instead all that is offered are cuts to youth services and supports that might keep young people in education or training.

“This budget provides no stimulus for young people. In fact, it will only aid a further exodus,” he added.

Mr Doorley said the cuts to FÁS course members supports will also act as a further disincentive to drive young people — especially those on low incomes — out of the education and training system and into either poverty or emigration.

However, he continued that a sepa-

rate issue of greater concern is the introduction of the Universal Social Charge on all incomes, even those

for young people “earning very little”. This system is intended to replace the health and income levies.

A generation counts the cost of cuts

by Fiachra Ó Cionnaith FOCionnaith.direct@examiner.ie

■ Third level fees are set to rise to F2,000 for students, many of whom will be unable to pay or will be put off from continuing their studies as a result of the rate.

The second and third child of a family whose first child went to third level will be charged a F1,500 registration fee instead of the F2,000 sum ■ Primary school pupils will be charged F50 to travel on the school bus from next autumn.

The unprecedented move is part of a F4.5 million school transport savings package. While the primary rate will be limited to F110 per family, secondary school students will face a F350 charge — up F50 ■ Third level students will also have to pay more depending on how far they have to travel. The distance these students must live from their college or university to receive higher grant payments has doubled from from 15 to 28 miles ■ Education Minister Mary Coughlan is cutting F22 million next year from student support, rising to F51 million a year by 2014

■ This will cause a F22 million cut in the student support scheme, rising to F51 million by 2014. This includes a 4% drop (a cut of F8 million) in student support grants, changes to transport grants and mature student support payments ■ The jobseekers allowance for the 22- to 24-year-olds will be cut from F156 to F150.

Approximately 83,000 young people are currently unemployed ■ The new Universal Social Charge, which replaces the income and health levies, means people with incomes of F25,500, many of whom are young people, will be hit by taxes of more than F1,000.

This is almost double the previous income and health levies charge ■ There will be a 5% cut in funding grants to schools and VECs supporting adult literacy, community education, school completion programmes and the Youthreach group ■ The teacher-pupil ratio will be cut by 24 million (rising to F98 million by 2014) resulting in 150 extra posts being deferred ■ Support for Traveller pupils, those in need of language support, and services for DEIS schools will be cut

But concern has been raised over its impact on the “salaried poor”, many of whom are young people.

Under this new scheme, someone on F25,500 or less will see their previous health and income levies expense almost double to more than a F1,000.

“The further cut of F6 to the already very low F150 that young jobseekers aged 22 to 24 receive will only compound the difficulty young people are having making ends meet,” continued the NYCI official.

Since the budget’s publication, Government officials have been at pains to emphasise the positives and stress that any short-term difficulties are in the interests of saving the country.

For those representing the youth of Ireland, however, the bottom line is this: Teenagers today may very well go on to college, receive qualifications which will open doors to specialised jobs which will in turn entitle them to higher salaries.

But the hurdles put in the way of their way by budget 2011, regardless of what is said, will at best discourage them from doing so, at worst block them altogether.

For young people already in employment or in the market for work but on low salaries, there is no real incentive to continue at the coal-face.

Instead, they are effectively being asked to pay more than their share or consider leaving to take advantage of better opportunities abroad.

These scenarios do not add up to a knowledge economy. They add up to a growing crisis.

HERE has been much comment on the burden we as a State are passing onto our children and young people, as a result of the momentous decisions taken in recent weeks to seek international financial assistance. It is likely they will be paying back this debt for much of their lives. This of course ignores the reality that they are already paying a high price for the mistakes of those in positions of authority and power in recent years.

The recession is hitting young people hard.

One in three young men under 25 is out of work.

The figures for October 2010 show there are over 82,000 young people on the Live Register. This does not include the many thousands who have already emigrated in hope of a job and a better life. We know from our own research conducted with young jobseekers, to be published in early 2011, that many thousands are planning to leave in the next 12 months.

These grim employment prospects are not helped by the large cuts in jobseekers’ allowance introduced in the last two Budgets, which makes it hard for them to make ends meet. Jobseekers aged 18-19 years are entitled to a maximum of F100 a week and those aged 20-24 only F150. At the time, the Government claimed these cuts were being introduced to incentivise young people into work, education or training. That would make sense if jobs or alternatives were available, but they are not. We know from our work with young jobseekers that they are desperate for a job, education or training and in many cases happy to take unpaid work experience. However, the reality is that despite promises, the places are not there to meet demand. The most recent statistics show 55% of those on the minimum wage are under 25 years, and with that being targeted for a cut, it’s hard for young people not to think they are being particularly targeted by Government policy.

In other areas young people have also borne the brunt of cutbacks. Youth work organisations around the country that support young people in our communities have been forced to scale back services, due to a range of cuts from various sources. Many of these projects work with the most disadvantaged, such as early schoolleavers and are finding it hard to cope, as demand has increased due to the recession, along with the fear of further cuts coming down the tracks, that will make it impossible to continue. We are also concerned crucial areas such as mental health services and suicide prevention programmes for young people are being undermined and downgraded, despite the increase in demand.

NYCI accepts our public finances need correction and some cuts are necessary. What we cannot accept is the haphazard, short-sighted and misguided manner in which decisions are currently being made, which are set to condemn a whole generation to unemployment, alienation and emigration.

It doesn’t have to be like this. The current generation of young people can be the drivers of our recovery, if given the chance.

■ Orlaith McBride is President of the National Youth Council of Ireland

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The only question that remains for me now — is it Fine Gael ... or Oz?

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HIS is the country I have inherited. Left in a will from by a dying breed of politician that tried to squander everything on its death bed before leaving the estate to its foreign mistress.

I was brought up as a Celtic Tiger child — born into relative privilege to west of Ireland parents who had immigrated during economic troubles at the age of 16 on a ship to England, only to return in better times. Not a lot seems to have changed, except that I will be emigrating on a plane.

From a family of seven with a rural agricultural background, I am a benefactor of Europe and like many of my generation I am in third level education in order to secure a job that I love.

Maybe we need a new republic — a second republic — to take this country back from the brink I never knew hard times — at least not to the extent my parents did. I’ve never had reason to complain. Every one of my aunts and uncles had emigrated from this country by my age — some would never live here again and some would return when things improved. In days without Facebook and email, families were torn apart, divided by the Atlantic and Irish Sea. Today I see friends flinging themselves all over the world in a desperate search for work. I used to always say I wanted to travel after I finished college. I didn’t realise I wouldn’t have no choice. We are told 40,000 of us are expected to leave in the next four years — many of my friends have already left.

Facing four years of cuts and economic turmoil isn’t a prospect many people relish, so it is not surprising that rather than stay for the show, we are leaving in large numbers.

When I started my degree it was the height of the boom, with prospects of employment everywhere. I worked as an unskilled labourer on building sites during the summer before college. A year later I went back to find half my old work mates gone and there was no summer job for me.

I voted yes to Lisbon; I welcomed the euro and my passport says I am a citizen of Europe. ‘The troubles’ of my era is not the loss of six counties it is the loss of our monetary sovereignty. My parents often say how fortunate my brother, my sisters and I were to have the opportunities afforded to us, but I am left wondering if my country holds a future for me.

It is said that we need political reform but do we really expect politicians to instigate reform in a system they have thrived in for so many years. Maybe we need a new republic — a second republic — to take this country from the brink.

I’m lucky though, I can leave before the water line gets too high. At least now with an election to be called in the New Year, I will have a choice. The only real question is if I will pick Fine Gael... or Australia.

■ Rowan Gallagher, 21, is a journalism student at University of Limerick who writes regularly for the Mayo News.

Most under-25s fear they have no future here

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HE VAST majority of under-25s living in Ireland are “actively considering” emigration and do not believe they have any real future in their own country.

Two separate polls commissioned by the Irish Examiner have underlined a series of vital changes young people are demanding to see implemented if they are to remain in this country.

An irishexaminer.com online poll conducted in late November and early December shows the country’s youth are seeking root and branch reform of the entire political, social welfare and pensions systems.

However, in the under-25s category, the survey shows the vast majority of respondents also believe those currently in power will fail to make these changes, leaving them with no option but to leave their homeland.

According to the findings, 84.8% of the U-25’s surveyed do not trust this Government to make the right decisions in the budget.

A further 86.6% know someone who has emigrated since the economic crisis began two years ago, while 64.2% are “actively considering” emigration themselves.

A worrying two out of every three respondents (66.2%) also said young

GENERATION DEBT

Young people feel they have no option but to emigrate and have little faith that things will change, writes Fiachra Ó Cionnaith

people “do not have any real future in Ireland”, despite the promised changes by various political parties.

This is partially because of the belief that they will never be able to own a property in their homeland (60.6%) and that if third-level education registration fees are increased they will not pursue their studies (60.6%) — despite 86.2% stating that university is “a sound investment... and worth the price”.

Many of these respondents who believe they will have to leave the country to achieve their goals have, however, also called for major changes in the daily lives of individuals who will stay in Ireland.

These changes include means testing child benefit payments (79.1%), cutting dole payments (66.2%) and means testing the state pension (64.2%).

Slashing the salaries and expenses of public servants (69.7%), significantly increasing taxes for those on F45,000 or more (62.7%), and increasing corporation tax (69.1%) have also been suggested.

In addition, a massive 83.6% of respondents under the age of 25 — one in 10 of whom are unemployed and half of whom are students — believe people out of work for six months or more should be made to do volunteer work if they are to keep receiving state support.

When asked which areas of the budget should be cut, the most popular choices from the group were overseas aid (50.7%), sport (35.8%),

The politicians of the future and their message to An Taoiseach ...

Dear Taoiseach, The party is over. Fianna Fáil’s 13-year session has come to an end, and like all poor hosts, you won’t be sticking around to clean up the mess. No more Galway shindigs, no more foreign junkets.

But unlike the rest of us, you will not be left feeling the effects of the worst national hangover in history, ministerial pensions being quite a potent “cure”. So I ask of you, to please take a moment to think of the rest of us, who never got an invitation to the party, but must nonetheless clean up the mess.

John Kent, 24, Co Sligo

Like all poor hosts, you won’t be sticking around to clean up the mess. No more Galway shindigs, no more foreign junkets. But unlike the rest of us, you won’t be left feeling the effects of the worst national hangover in history, ministerial pensions being quite a potent “cure”

UCC and CIT students protest in Cork over proposed changes in fees that they claim will leave many unable to consider third-level. Picture: Eddie O’Hare the arts (29.9%) and help for the unemployed (23.9%).

A separate national budget survey for the Irish Examiner conducted by MillwardBrown Lansdowne in November highlights similar issues.

In the 18-24-year-old age group, the number of people raising concerns over their personal financial problems has risen from 18% in September 2008 to 50% last month.

A total of 62% also feel worse off

■ The revolution will not be televised ...

NO 60.6%

YES 39.4%

Friday | December 10 | 2010 | An Irish Examiner publication

NO 66.2%

DISAGREE

NO 35.8%

YES 33.8%

Do young people have any real future in Ireland?

compared with 27% two years ago.

Just over one in four (29%) have been made redundant, 42% have seen their working hours reduced, 28% have taken a pay freeze and 58% have suffered a pay cut.

>> Poll conducted on www.irishexaminer.com

NO 13.4%

Registration fees will stop me pursuing a university education

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YES 64.2%

DISAGREE 39.4%

13.8%

AGREE 60.6%

YES 86.6%

Do you know somebody that has emigrated in the last two years?

Are you actively considering emigration?

I don’t think I will ever be able to afford to buy a property in Ireland

AGREE 86.2%

A university education is a sound investment in your future and worth the price

Posed by model

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Dear Taoiseach ...

Dear Taoiseach, The facts are that you have deprived us of a free education, put us in a position where we will be unemployed upon graduation and left our generation to clean up your mess. Most importantly you are leaving us with no choice but to flee the country we have called home. I will be sure to send you a postcard from wherever I end up…

Kathryn Doyle, 18, Bettystown, Co Meath Dear Taoiseach The new terminal at Dublin airport opened recently to much celebration. This must be pleasing to you and your government. F600m has been spent on this project. Considering the turmoil this nation is experiencing, perhaps the money could have been spent elsewhere. Perhaps in education? Today thousands of third-level students look to an uncertain future, unable to put themselves through college, and in the footsteps of thousands before them, will leave in search of a brighter future. At least they will see this futuristic and exciting new terminal before they depart our once great nation.

Eoin Scanlon, 18, Ballyduff Upper, Co Waterford

Thanks to all those who left their comment at irishexaminer.com

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Dear Taoiseach, Dark times consume Ireland and the Irish people.

Today our nation holds its breath, helpless and uncertain for the future and integrity of our proud country. The walls of this democratic republican state have been rocked. As the foundations begin to crumble, shadows of shame and anger loom in the minds of those left to defend their right for a prosperous future in their country. Those people have filled their hearts with hatred.

Corruption and nepotism has fuelled greed and ignorance within this country, with great cost to Ireland’s political reputation and its people’s trust in a democratic state. May this Government’s reputation live on forever, for all that is wrong.

Kevin F Rowley, 21, Swinford, Mayo

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Thanks a million or should I say thanks a F100+ billion.

Our society needs to be overhauled from the top down. Is it fair that the top professions, politicians etc., still earn multiples of F100,000 of euros while innocent ordinary people suffer? We are destined to years of paying for your friends and cronies ...

Dear Taoiseach ...

Dear Taoiseach These bank bailouts are immoral, unfair and downright unjust. How can you ask the ordinary citizens of this country to pay for the corruption of bankers, developers, builders and politicians? What did we do to deserve this? You and your government have not looked after our interests and now we are destined for ruin.

Thanks a million or should I say thanks a F100+ billion. Our society needs to be overhauled from the top down. Is it fair that the top professions, politicians etc still earn multiples of F100,000 while innocent ordinary people suffer?

What is here for our age group? We are destined to years of paying for your friends and cronies. What happened to democracy when an elite minority are allowed to escape unpunished, having destroyed our country and our futures? Was it for this that the men of 1916 gave their lives? Shame on you and your party and shame on the idiot greens who supported you.

Karla Stack, 13, Dublin

Thanks to all those who left a comment fro A|n Taoiseach at irishexaminer.com 6

GENERATION DEBT

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Hard lessons to learn

Dear Taoiseach, You must be feeling very unpopular. It must be tough, knowing the nation and perhaps your own party have lost any shred of respect they once had for you. I don’t pity you. But I would like to thank you. Thank you for teaching us not to take our futures for granted; for destroying our childish naivety; and for giving our generation, the youth of this country, the task of restoring our country to its former glory. Ireland’s youth may have little faith in you or Fianna Fáil. But we’re up for the challenge of rebuilding this devastated and disillusioned nation, and make it a country to be proud to be a part of.

Aisling Hussey, 20, Tralee, Co Kerry Dear Taoiseach, Thanks very much for all the incompetence and selling out of any possibility I have of returning to my home land. I am an economic migrant doomed to a life living away from my family and friends. My parents are old and I cannot afford to live in Ireland to look after them. I cannot find work and am not entitled to carers allowance as I am out of the EU zone for over two years. I will never forget this and will make it my life’s work to undermine your party.

Jonnie Graham, 24, Melbourne, Australia

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AM AT Foreign Minister Micheál Martin’s alma mater, Coláiste Chríost Rí, in Cork city, book-ended by the Government’s four-year plan and the imminent budget, a classroom full of junior certificate pupils are discussing the realities of the deepening economic crisis.

They may just be 14 and 15 years old, been more celtic kittens than Celtic Tigers at the height of the boom, and not yet be members of the workforce, but they have as much — if not more — right than anyone to speak about what is happening to our economy.

Their generation, more than any other, will face the pressure of paying off the massive debt currently being placed on Irish peoples’ shoulders.

Equally, their generation risks being scattered across the globe in the search for work over the decade to come.

Yet, their generation is the only one not being given a voice in the national debate on all our futures.

“I don’t think I’ll stay in the country, there’s no real jobs here,” says Brandon Malone, one of a number of the group who are considering emigrating when they leave school.

“I’m probably going to go to America or Germany, or even Japan, where the jobs are. I want to work in IT, and all that, and America — mainly California — is where it’s all happening. It’s not here,” he says.

In the past, that comment from a teenager could have been passed off as youthful exuberance, but it is just as much the product of the surging unemployment rates that even schoolchildren are surrounded by every day.

Last year, a relative of Cathal O’Mahony’s saw his 18-year-long career at a major multi-national company based here suddenly cut short after the firm relocated to another country.

In his mid-40s, the man has since moved to Russia to find equivalent

Friday | December 10 | 2010 | An Irish Examiner publication

Dear Taoiseach, I would like to know why you and your colleagues are more concerned with making the opposition parties look more foolish than you, when you all should focus on what’s best for everyone. Would it not be better to answer the public’s questions openly and directly? If you are the country’s leader and an exemplary politician, then I may have to rethink my career choice in politics.

George Pardoe, 20, Ardfert, Co Kerry

The boys of Coláiste Chríost Rí are all too aware of the harsh economic realities that face them after graduation, says Fiachra Ó Cionnaith

work, sending money back home to his family, who are still based in Cork.

Another pupil says his father has been working “all hours of the night and on his days off ” because redundancies in his office mean he

Fiachra Ó Cionnaith speaking to students at Coláiste Chríost Rí, who, even in their teens, are attuned to the economy.

now has to cover the work of his former colleagues.

“It’s been really tough for him. He can’t take the time off he wants, because he has to get through the work of the people who’ve been let go,” his son says.

A third pupil, Eoin Kennedy, explains how his uncle left for New Zealand at the end of November. A fourth, Daniel James, adds that his cousin has emigrated to Australia.

Adults may think people in school don’t notice what is happening, or don’t care, but the reality is not the case.

Modern Ireland is moulding their own views of the future.

With this in mind, young peoples’ opinions on politicians fighting over the best way to help Ireland recover is worth hearing.

“We’re just being told that we’re going to get out of it and everything’s going to be fine, but nobody’s actually expressing their genuine opinions. I mean, maybe we won’t get out of it as quickly as they say.

“A lot of the backbenchers don’t seem to really do anything. They just seem to be there only to get on the telly,” says Evan O’Leary.

Another pupil adds that the entire system is based on “a race for power.”

“They just say what they want us to hear, all of them, just to get where they want. All of the other parties are saying they won’t cut, but they’ll

definitely have to cut somewhere.

“They say they’re going to make everything all right, but they’re not saying how they’re going to do it,” he says.

David Duggan’s view appears to echo the phrase that anyone who wants to be elected to a political position — and receive the privileges that come with it — shouldn’t be elected.

There are too many benefits given to those supposedly representing the rest of the population, he says, resulting in those agreeing to painful budget cutbacks having no

real sense of the damage they will cause.

“They should halve the amount of ministers and get rid of the ministerial cars. If they want to use a car, they should use their own,” he says.

“I was listening to the radio this morning, and the cars, garda driver, and all that, is nearly F200,000 per minister and even more for the Taoiseach. That’s crazy.

“The ministers and TDs aren’t taking the equal hits.

“They’re attacking people on the minimum wage, instead of those at

Coláiste Chríost Rí student Cathal O’Mahony: Last year, a relative of his had an 18-year-long career at a major multi-national company based in Ireland suddenly cut short after the firm re-located. In his mid-40s, the man has since moved to Russia to find the same type of work — sending money home to his family, who are still based in Cork.

the bottom, They’re on huge salaries and they’re cutting the bottom. It should be cut at the top,” he says.

Surprisingly, some in the class believe the bail-out from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the European Central Bank (ECB) will help to resolve these problems in the Irish political system.

Two eyes might spoil the broth, but the pupils at Choláiste Chríost Rí believe a second pair of eyes on Irish affairs — at least for a short time — could help cut down on corruption.

“I think the IMF coming in is a good idea,” says a voice from the back of the room.

“When we had the money, we weren’t able to control it, there was too much greed and the money came in too fast. The IMF and EU seem more organised, in fairness.”

Since the budget details were announced on Tuesday, discussions have understandably focused on how the communities will adapt to the immediate concerns facing them.

Few people are asking what impact these same cuts will have on the views of the generation who will be tasked with dragging the country out of its economic mess. There is more at stake today than Ireland’s short-term survival.

Ireland’s youth may have little faith in you or Fianna Fáil. But we're up for the challenge of rebuilding this devastated and disillusioned nation, and make it a country to be proud to be a part of Dear Taoiseach, Why should we be the ones to pay when the state this country could not possibly be our fault. Where will the country be in 10 years when all our generation has emigrated.

Patricia O’Driscoll, 23, Cork Dear Mr Cowen, Congratulations. You will go down in history for being the face of an incompetent party that destroyed Ireland. I have been left with no choice but to emigrate. Step down as Taoiseach, you are an embarrassment to this country.

Eleanor Crabb, 23, Waterford Dear Taoiseach, The banks, Bertie, Charlie, and yourself, have caused all of this. I hope and pray that the people of Ireland, will help finish your party.The people of Ireland will also not stop until people who caused this are jailed.

John Feeley, 25, Co Clare Dear Taoiseach, Don’t target front line staff such as teachers and medical staff. All others are fair game, however, and reducing civil servant’s pay should be a priority.

Mark, 17, Waterford Dear Taoiseach, The fact that our only option is to emigrate is a complete joke. We have been totally let down by the Government that brought this upon us.

Sinead Lucey, 23, Cork

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In these times of hardship we had accepted that both money and leadership would be scarce, but never did we think that our Irish spirit would wane as much Dear Taoiseach, We have to think about the fact that Ireland has the fifth highest youth suicide rate in Europe and ask what we plan to do about it?

I suggest an external councillor that has no involvement with the student’s education to be implemented in every secondary school in Ireland.

This person would be there so that students could talk in confidence about their emotional and private problems.

Forget about the money involved because there has been enough money wasted on unnecessary things, when there are lives being lost to suicide.

So I ask you to do the right thing for the Irish youth.

Lisa Marie Sheehy, Limerick, 16 Dear Taoiseach, You must realise that the economic situation of our nation has affected each and every Irish citizen in different ways.

The one thing I ask of you is to make third-level education an urgent and ongoing priority for our nation’s young citizens. An educated workforce is key to our economic future and must be a serious issue for our Government in ensuring Ireland is ready to meet the employment demands of the future to create higher levels of high-tech jobs in expanding sectors of our nation’s economy and ensure our economy’s future is among the best in the world.

Tom Leahy, Co Dublin, 17 Dear Taoiseach, In these times of hardship we had accepted that both money and leadership would be scarce, but never did we think that our Irish spirit would wane as much as to allow a foreign establishment complete control of our redevelopment.

Your actions have the young people of Ireland seriously worried about what sort of future we have in our own country.

I would like to remind you of a passage from our very own proclamation: “We declare the right of the people of Ireland to the ownership of Ireland, and to the unfettered control of Irish destinies, to be sovereign and indefeasible.”

Today, it seems, we should all be mourning the loss of the Irish Republic as a sovereign independent state.

Tiarnán Fallon, Co Wicklow, 17

■ Dáil na nÓg 8

GENERATION DEBT

F

— Dorina Birsanu, Longford, 16

Padraig Duffy finds himself reverting to the stereotypical image he had of politicians.

Picture: Barry Cronin

Friday | December 10 | 2010 | An Irish Examiner publication

Four members of Ireland’s youth parliament, Dáil na nÓg, reflect on our current economic situation

Dear Taoiseach, I want to thank you. Thank you for making my future, along with hundreds and thousands of others, a big grey cloud of uncertainty. What other 21st century “developed” country makes third-level education less accessible? That protects the rich and exposes the poor? That would lie to its own party about the true state of current affairs? People forget the fact that it was YOU that handled the public finances before you became Taoiseach, that you could’ve seen this coming since 2004! What a fail. And you have the cheek to say you have no shame? Your cabinet has made Ireland an embarrassment on an International level. One positive lesson we can learn from all this corrupt politics is how NOT to run a country, again, Jamie Moore, Co Waterford, 16

Dorina Birsanu feels it is unfair that her generation will have to suffer because of the Government’s mistakes.

Dear Taoiseach, As a young person I think it is vital that you don’t make any cutbacks in education, that you invest in it. If you want to truly overcome this recession we, the younger generation, will be the ones to enact this. It is us who will be the jobseekers and the workforce in the years to come. Immigration is looking ever so popular to this generation as we see all around us unstable jobs and unemployment.

The future doesn’t look too bright unfortunately.

The most common conversations will be about taxes, debt and loans, not life. Do you expect us to stay in this doom and gloom, to pay the taxes to repay the loans? Do you want us growing up seeing the Government as the enemy?

Aoife Crotty, Tipperary, 16

Picture: Willie Farrell

Stupidity and greed of our politicians has put us in a hole AS A CHILD, one cannot help but ascertain a stereotypical image of politicians. Overweight, carrying a briefcase bursting at its seams, packed with money, and wearing a mischievous grin. And one cannot help but begin to see politicians as a devious breed.

However, as you begin to grow, mature and actually read the newspapers instead of just looking at the caricatures, one begins to understand that politicians are in fact, honest caring individuals that assume their responsibilities in the hope and desire of making a positive difference in people’s lives.

However, it is as the events of the recent past have unfolded that I find myself returning to my original impression of politicians.

I do not blame the Irish government for all of the world’s problems.

I do, however, hold Brian Cowen and his band of bumbling misfits personally responsible for the crisis we now face here at home in Ireland.

The stupidity and greed of Irish

politicians has led this country into an economic hole, and a pretty big one at that.

Although it is their response to this crisis that worries me the most.

Specifically, the introduction of third level fees.

In the words of Brian Cowen, “Hope for the future”. As in, I hope this all blows over soon? Or, hope for a future abroad? When challenged with our country’s future both financially and in general the main response has been that it is up to us, the youth. That our imaginations, diligence, innovation and creativity are what will rebuild this country long after Cowen and company has gone. However, how are we supposed to achieve this astronomical task without a higher education? There was uproar when the reintroduction of fees was speculated about. Now, not even a year later, registration fees are being increased. Surely investing in education is investing in the future of the country.

In the hard times our government has taken from children, old age pensioners, education, the health system and the poor. This is a disgrace. The country is moving backwards, and fast.

— Padraig Duffy, Dundalk, 17

‘

I hold Cowen and his band of bumbling misfits personally responsible for the crisis we now face ...

The stupidity and greed of Irish politicians has lead this country into an economic hole

’

Suddenly our future is no longer within our control WHEN I WAS younger I was told that my future would be bright and, for years, there was never a doubt in my mind that it would be. Until now.

It is such a bizarre feeling to know that you don’t really control how your life will pan out. The decision of whether I go to college is no longer determined by how many points I get in my Leaving Certificate, but by how much of the steep registration fee I can pay. Whether I move out of my parents’ house after school is now determined by the lottery that job searching has become.

So many things that I took for granted in previous years now seem like a far-off dream.

I am confident that with the right leadership this country will rise from its current situation. Unfortunately, I don’t think that our current government are the leaders we are looking for. What this country needs is someone who is willing to make cuts across the board and who is not afraid to take from those who are wealthy and powerful. However, at the moment we’re not seeing that.

In the years to come, I hope that we see the power shift into more capable hands. Our bailout from the IMF is an opportunity to put this country back on track, and while the path to recovery will be long and arduous, we have the tools necessary to achieve stability. We have a population who are well educated, hardworking and willing for change. All of these are fundamental to our nation’s revival.

As a young person, I would like to live in a country where we can still believe that our future will be bright. I believe that one day young people will not have to worry about their freedom and opportunities and that our country will be restored to a state of equilibrium to achieve this.

— Niamh Duggan, Cork, 15

Niamh Duggan realises that she can no longer take access to education and employment for granted.

We can get through these difficult times THE FUTURE OF our country, or should I say ‘this’ country, as it would appear that the deeds to Ireland will be in the hands of Europe, is in actual fact not altogether hopeless.

It is my belief that we are very capable of coming through these challenging times. However, that’s not to say we will. Ireland lacks good leadership.

It is time for our Taoiseach and many of his accomplices to realise that we the people do not believe the Government is capable of leading us through this economic emergency while they are at the helm.

They should bow out now as gracefully as possible before things deplete any further.

The Gov-

ernment has failed to prepare for this crisis and therefore has prepared to fail.

The Government’s solution to our current predicament appears to be to borrow as much money as possible.

This is nonsense. Sure, it will keep us afloat for the next four years by which time it won’t matter to them as they will undoubtedly no longer be in office, and whose problem will it be?

Who will be left to pay back all these outstanding loans with considerable interest?

That would be my generation’s cue to step in. I can guarantee that I and many of my peers will not stand for such injustice. I don’t see any of our generation with top banking jobs or ministerial positions, yet we’re expected to pay for the mistakes of our predecessors for the best part of our lives. Not a hope.

It’s high time the banks and Government stopped looking to others to bail them out. Let them tighten their belts and make do with whatever resources they have at their disposal, such as all the young graduates from all over Ireland who are being given no alternative but to emigrate as they are being ignored and insufficiently utilised.

Undoubtedly people will argue that the banking system and the Government will likely collapse.

Well so be it. We, the youth of today have the gifts of knowledge and determination on our side — we will rebuild both. It would be by no means a simple task to undertake, but after spending a few years rebuilding the Government and banking system from scratch we would be free to wipe the slate clean and start afresh, as opposed to struggling along for decades to come with mounting debts hanging over our heads.

— Leo Cauneen, Roscommon, 18

People forget the fact it was YOU that handled the public finances before you became Taoiseach, that you could’ve seen this coming since 2004! What a fail.

www.irishexaminer.ie

Dear Taoiseach, I am at a stage in my life where virtually anything is possible and I can mould my future to whatever I want. However, due to the carelessness and greed of other people, I will now encounter more obstacles on my journey than I had ever anticipated.

With rising tuition fees and the increasing uncertainty in the future financial situation of our country, third-level education is beginning to seem a much less accessible resource, especially to the thousands of families negatively affected by the current economic situation.

How many future scientists, prime ministers, doctors or teachers will we lose to this generation? How many young people’s potentials will not be realised due to the recklessness and over-indulgence of people they have never even met. It must never happen again.

Joseph Bradley, Longford, 15

OR me the ‘f ’ in future now stands for fear. Fear that has conquered the Irish people.

Is it right for people to live in fear of the future? I, for one, feel it’s totally unacceptable.

When we think of the word future we want to believe in hope for a better tomorrow and that we are able to do things that have no limits, but, that is something the Irish will have to keep on dreaming about.

I feel that every day we’re told times are beyond hard, and in the recent news of the IMF taking things into their own hands, things can only get worse and much harder in our near future.

I hear talks every day of how we are going to fight this recession and dig Ireland out of this monumental pit of debt, but in my opinion we should have planned intelligently to combat this as quickly as possible.

We’ve officially been in recession since October 2008, with elephant in the room signs before that. And now, it’s nearly 2011. Why has it taken the Government so long to make the four year plan?

Is it the fear of the IMF or fear of losing a bit of salary like the rest of the country?

I could sit here all day and tell you how much of a mess were in, or of how many jobs were lost, or of how the Government are sitting idly by just sucking billions out of ordinary people, but really it’s not worth it.

I know it will be a tough road and that the Government have a price to pay for their thoughtless actions, maybe by cutting out their fancy business cars, but that price seems too high to them.

However, we now have to suffer in order for it to get better. Personally the best aspect of my future was education, but now that the student fees are up for discussion, it upsets me to think that there may not even be a chance of going to college. It enrages me of how the Government can just simply deny a person their education because of their mistakes.

It is not fair — education in Ireland is our future.

This is obviously not true to the Government. The young people of Ireland are the future, fact. Is it not reasonable to make life easy for us so we in turn can make a difference in the next generation and have someone intelligent and well-educated run our country?

I know there are many college students out there just completely lost.

At a time in life where there are supposed to be open doors, they’re all shut.

Many students now have their dreams on hold, dreams that could help change their lives. All I’m asking for is for the Government to take into consider the younger population and not to forget about us. Our voice is what matters. Listen and it might make a change.

Dear Taoiseach, I often feel scared at the thought of not having the future I want. I want to be a Radiation Therapist at heart and it is what I want as a career. But the sad thing is I don’t know if I’ll find employment after college. Or where I’ll find it. It annoys me that college fees are on the increase. I feel sick at the thought of having to leave this country.

The Government need to take a step back and look at what they have done. Greed took over and as a consequence it left our nation crying for help from other countries.

Adel Hickey, Donegal, 16.

■ Dáil na nÓg Dáil na nÓg is the annual national parliament for young people aged 12-18 years. The Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (OMCYA) is responsible for funding and overseeing the event, which is hosted annually by the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs. Delegates are elected to Dáil na nÓg by the 34 Comhairle na nÓg around the country. Successive independent evaluations note Dáil na nÓg has gone from strength to strength, with more challenging and contentious debate each year.

The Irish Examiner would like to thank Dáil na nÓg members for their submissions

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Dear Taoiseach, During the Celtic Tiger era I was in education so I had no part to play in the downfall of this country.

My dream was to work in politics or banking but I now know I may never get that opportunity. It is a disgrace that no one has been sent to jail. If that were my parents — normal hardworking people, they would be in jail already. Just because those people have connections doesn’t mean they can escape the law. And how do they still have assets?

They should all belong to the State. I plan on leaving this country next year, maybe for good. I never wanted it to come to that but I do not want to pay for something I didn’t cause. Think of the young people — our future is in your hands.

Kate, 23, Dublin Dear Taoiseach, Young people didn’t cause this. The cowards in Government want us to emigrate, to stay silent, to not vote, to put up and shut up. I’m not taking it. I’m staying, I’m going to tough it out and I’m going to make my mark. We all need to do our bit, not just give out but to start cleaning up this mess and putting in place a real nation. The first part of this job is getting rid of the terrible, terrible politicians out there and for people to please stop, for the love of Ireland, voting Fianna Fáil.

Rory, 21, Cavan Dear Taoiseach, Seriously, why are you destroying my life? Do you think its right for a 23-year-old woman to be forced out of her own country because of the mistakes that you made? I bet your children aren’t forced to leave the country for work or for a decent wage?

Maeve, 23, Cork

The first part of this job is getting rid of the terrible, terrible politicians out there and for people to please stop, for the love of Ireland, voting Fianna Fáil.

Dear Taoiseach, My parents went though the 1980’s, hard times, and now it looks like our generation will go though it again but 10 times worse ... immigration and all.

Celtic Tiger, what a farce.

S Hopkins, 24, Cork Dear Taoiseach, You and your peers in Fianna Fáil have brought about the collapse of this country.

The result of your Government’s decisions have put Ireland indisputably in one of its worst positions in the history of the State. We have now been turned into a laughing stock in Europe from our former Celtic Tiger prosperity and we are now the pawn of the IMF in this economic game of chess.

Once again the people at the bottom foot the bill.

The fact that students, just out of college, are flooding out of this country in droves for work and there is no initiative to create high value jobs which the country would benefit from is a sick joke. We have yet to see a prosecution to be taken against any of the people who have caused this situation, which is outrageous and an international embarrassment.

Derek O’Toole, Cork, 21 Dear Taoiseach, Please stop ruining our country to protect your friends from the Galway tent... You were Minister for Finance, you should have seen this coming, now please stop the nonsense by resigning. Give the people their say... You have no mandate. You were not elected as Taoiseach by the Irish people.

Joanne Quirke, 20, Cork

10

GENERATION DEBT

I

T’S A CRISP Tuesday morning and I am sitting in the reception of St Aloysius’ College, in Carrigtwohill, chatting with one of the school’s Leaving Certificate pupils, a cheerful, brown-haired teenager named Zoe Fannon.

Any passersby would have been forgiven for thinking we were talking about our weekend plans — how often would you connect mention of the word ‘party’, by a 17-year-old, with politics, and not her plans to celebrate?

Maybe it is because of the lack of faith in young people’s ability to take an interest in, and get riled up over, the abysmal economic state of affairs we are in that formed part of the problem in the first place.

“The party system is flawed— none of the parties can work together and agree on one budget, for instance. I also think it’s time that we looked to the backbenchers for a new Taoiseach, and it should be up to the entire Dáil to vote the best leader for the country,” Zoe said.

I had come to the all-girls secondary school with a touch of apprehension about my mission to gather the opinions of Ireland’s youth on our battered economy, the budget and their plans for the future, but, already, that was beginning to fade, after my brief, but encouraging conversation with the first young lady I had met.

And, luckily, that trend continued.

In a room packed with 30-odd 17and 18-year-olds, the mood was surprisingly enthusiastic — this was a bunch of students tired of hearing the same old views on how their country is, and should be, run and they were eager to give some opinions of their own.

One young pupil, who was happy to get the ball rolling, was 18-year-old Avril McCarthy.

“The economy has been completely sabotaged. People are being forced to emigrate, there is huge debt built up and we will be paying back the interest for life,” she said bluntly.

So who exactly do these passionate young people blame for the current situation?

“The political corruption is widespread — it’s not just Fianna Fáil,” said another girl, not afraid to mince her words, 17-year-old Susan Rea, who said she was planning to study medicine in college.

“It’s no wonder people have become so disillusioned, there is a general bad feeling, because the problems were addressed too late.

“Talk about the IMF and the bailout was bounced around for a few weeks, and the Taoiseach never once addressed his people, its a disgrace,” said Susan.

“We need to totally reform the political system. The population is totally over-represented, we need to cut the amount of TDs in half and

From left, Susan Rea, Orla Kelleher, Avril McCarthy, Sinead Keane and Caoimhe Whelan are pessimistic about Irish politics.

Picture: Denis Minihane

Friday | December 10 | 2010 | An Irish Examiner publication

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Young,

gifted & bleak

The young are often unheard, but the girls of St Aloysius College are outspoken and articulate on the state of their nation, says Kerrie Kennedy put pressure on them to make more of an effort and move away from emphasis on mending potholes to get

votes, for example,” said a voice from the back of the room, 17-year-old Sinead Keane.

“These are our national representatives, they should be dealing with serious issues. There was considerable money spent on them, they should be suffering now, too,” Sinead said.

This was clearly something to which everyone — including those who seemed slightly disinterested — could relate, as several girls began to nod their heads in agreement with Sinead’s last comment.

Moving on from the broad to the more specific, I asked the girls what they felt about Ireland needing a bailout, which clearly struck a nerve, particularly with the few who were eager to air their views.

“It’s a disgrace, we have to take loans from abroad to pay for Anglo and for their stupidity,” said Avril.

“We have to pay for Anglo,” said Sinead.

“It’s all well to say ‘stop supporting banks’ but we can’t, we have to have an economy. What we need to do is cut the highest earners. The middle earners, such as teachers, are suffering the most. I think the people at the bottom nearly have it easier than people in the middle,” she said.

“But the bottom level standard of living didn’t raise during the boom,” said Susan indignantly.

At this stage, any shyness had completely vanished. You could see several of the girls were anxious to say their piece on what was clearly a sensitive issue.

I had begun to think there was a slight irony in the fact the girls with the strongest views on political reform were seated on my left, when a

Zoe Fannon, 17, says “I also think it’s time that we looked to the backbenchers for a new Taoiseach, and it should be up to the entire Dáil to vote the best leader for the country.”

Picture: Dan Lenihan

voice to my right piped up.

“Everyone here has been on a foreign holiday, there are plenty of people here whose families have two houses, it’s a measure of a good society to look after the vulnerable,” said 18-year-old Orla Kelleher.

“But we can’t keep cutting back on the middle sector,” said Sinead.

“There are so many people not paying taxes and are just getting benefits, the tests for social welfare need to be a lot stricter, we need to find out who is sponging, who is making fraudulent claims,” she said.

Seeing that this could turn into a long and fairly heated debate that would most likely have stretched beyond the one-hour class, I asked who was thinking of leaving the country after their exams.

Not one person failed to raise their arm.

“It’s a good opportunity to travel, there is simply no money in the country, so why not,” said Susan.

However, one of the girls, Orla, said that while she wanted to travel, Ireland was inevitably the only country where she could see herself growing old.

“We grew up here, by the time we get out of college I would hope things might be a little better. I want to work as an accountant and that

‘

While one group cannot be taken as an indication of the views of the entire teenage population of Ireland, clearly, the final year class at St Aloysius were much more clued in than most people give teenagers credit for

’

sector still has some jobs, so I don’t think I could emigrate long term.

I’m Irish, this is my home,” she said.

Having listened to the group speak in mainly negative terms, I was surprised, and curious, to find that there was a positive belief that the situation would begin to improve in the near future.

Did the group think we, as a whole, would learn from our mistakes?

Susan, I believe put it best.

“There has been a cycle of eco-

nomic boom then bust, nobody has died of recession,” she said.

So, would anyone like to get into politics I asked? Silence.

“It’s not very attractive, its the kind of job where its more who you know,” said Susan, thoughtfully, just as the bell to end class went.

While one group cannot be taken as an indication of the views of the entire teenage population of Ireland, clearly, the final year class at St Aloysius were much more clued in than most people give teenagers credit for.

These are the people who will be shaping the future of the country, and the level of disillusion with the state of affairs was obvious, but by no means shocking.

If anything, it reaffirmed the belief that many of those with the brightest young minds, and the energy to drive change and positive reform are, because of the system itself, too often those with no interest in taking up the positions of leaders and politicians.

These girls had started school in the midst of the Celtic Tiger era, and now, six years later, were emerging educated and hopeful, but, sadly, with little faith in their abilities to secure a positive future living in Ireland.

Dear Taoiseach, After spending the last three years in college, trying to get a degree for myself, I have now come to the realisation there is nothing here for me.

The amount of my fellow future graduates that have decided to leave in frightening. All because of the bankers and the corrupt men and women who do not care about people like myself. I am leaving this country along with many others because we fell we should not have to pay for the mistakes of others. I would love to raise my children in this country and give them the amazing childhood I had but I have come to realise that is not going to happen. You have to realise that we are the countries future and we will not be here for much longer if this continues.

Your chance has passed. Please don’t ruin ours also...

Jennifer Buckley, 20, Cobh, Co. Cork Dear Taoiseach, Take yourself and your rotten coalition and leave Dail Eireann now. Damn you to hell and back. I’m forced to emigrate while you lot retire with a fat pension. I just hope you don’t meet me in the streets before I leave ....

Seamus Ó Raghallaigh, 20, Baile Átha Clíath Dear Taoiseach, Ireland still has a chance to become great again and I believe along with a great number of people that the key lies with the youth. If we forget about them Ireland in the future will be compared with Eastern European countries in in the 80s. I urge you to re-think the university charges and other decisions that will penalise young people and ruin the country in the long term.

Niall Crowley, 15, Cork

Take yourself and your rotten coalition and leave Dáil Eireann now. Damn you to hell and back. I’m forced to emigrate while you lot retire with a fat pension.

Dear Taoiseach, As a former minister for finance you must take a lot of the blame for the mess that the country is in.

I now see from your four-year plan that not alone have you saddled young people with enormous debt but you have also cut the minimum wage, increased college fees and cut student grants.

Is it your intention to drive all young people out of the country?

No Fianna Fáil member will be getting my vote.

Lynn O’Donovan, 19, Cork Dear Taoiseach, In this time of austerity your politicians and top public servants should be hit with a further 30% cut considering your extremely poor performances over the past five years.

All expenses in the public sector should be stopped as should all ministerial cars.

All I can see from the four-year plan is that middle-to-low-income-earners are being asked to take the most pain.

Sean McKevitt, 33, Dundalk.

Thanks to those who left their comment for An Taoiseach at irishexaminer.com 11

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Thanks for ruining my future before it began.

Government my ass.

— Fergal O' Connor, Cork city (19) ■ I am student, and if and when I graduate, I am outta this country for at least five years. This country is full of great talkers, but, to be honest, that’s not gonna get us results anymore. I’m ashamed to be Irish because we have lost our passion, anger and power. We are no longer a real nation.

James Mullally, Meath, 20 ■ What has been spoken will hurt. What has been done will not be un-made. But the future will be written by those who are courageous. Do not sit back and admire mediocrity. I will fight for a world which will carry me as I carry it now. I am not a hero.

I am the underdog in an era of celebrated wastrels.

But we will find victory and a glorious nation will rise again.

Finbarr, Limerick, 17 ■ I’m not on the minimum wage, thank God, but I don’t think this government has any idea how expensive day-to-day living is. How would they? I heard that Brian Cowen is paid more than Barack Obama, and, I mean, where’s the sense in that?

Avril, cafe worker, Galway, 21

‘

... if and when I graduate I am outta here for at least five years. This country is full of great talkers but to be honest that’s not gonna get us results anymore

’

■ I’m furious. These cuts won’t even make a dent in what we owe, because of the bankers and lack of rules. I think the people who caused this mess, like developers and lenders, should have to pay for it. It seems to me that this government is trying to make sure we all emigrate. I mean, all the talk of a smart economy, and everything, is waffle if we have to pay F2,000 every year, just in registration fees. The funny thing is, everyone seems to be saying young people are lazy and spongers, but we didn’t cause this mess.

The other thing is, I don’t get why this Government can make rules for four years when they will not even be in power. I voted for the Green party last time, but this time I don’t know who you could vote for.

Brian, Castlebar, 25 ■ I want to start my own business. I’m a surfer and Ireland could be a real location for surfers and tourism, so I don’t want to emigrate. We should be investing in green businesses and giving grants to people who want to be entrepreneurs. We could make jobs for people instead of being so negative all the time. I wouldn’t vote for the government and I know all my friends are the same. They need to have elections on days when students can vote as well.

Jason, Cork, 18

— Thanks to SpunOut.ie for their support in the compilation of these comments

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GENERATION DEBT

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I fear I have no future in Ireland

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HE boom has collapsed into a bust and has left Ireland’s talented youth waving goodbye to their families, their home and their future.

If this country is to have a future, we must take the reins and reinvent Government. Government is implementing cutback after cutback in public expenditure on my education.

Middle-income families are coerced into paying potentially higher income tax, childcare, health care and college fees, and, like so many struggling families, are ineligible for state support.

Education is the only outlet for young people. Middle-class families face the grim prospect of not being able to afford to send their children to college. We will be left with an uneducated generation from 2011, an elderly population, and a brain-drain smart economy. I want a competent government that tells the truth.

Fear has turned us against Fianna Fáil. Fear for our jobs, and, most of all, fear for our education.

No sensible person will demand the rebirth of the Celtic Tiger. As a 2010 graduate, I will accept the hard slog, provided I get leadership, honest work and a programme of reform and repair.

Each additional day the Minister for Education, Mary Coughlan, puts Ireland’s education on the long finger, more and more highly skilled graduates leave the country, many of whom will never return. Her inaction is crippling my future, and my promise of an Ireland with a smart economy.

The Central Statistics Office reports that 91, 646 people under the age of 25 are unemployed. The Government has invested millions in an attempt to create a workforce that is renowned across the globe for its expertise and innovative capacity.

It seems ludicrous to deny me the opportunity to repay that investment by forcing me to emigrate upon receiving my master’s qualification.

Ireland has accepted a massive fi-

Friday | December 10 | 2010 | An Irish Examiner publication

Postgrad student Annemaria O’Reilly is determined not to be one of the ‘lost generation’, even as her peers prepare to leave the country nancial bailout, these times are tough, but, please, invest this money so that Ireland’s forthcoming graduates will remain and be the drivers of your smart economy.

The Irish student is hurting. Families are reeling from the pain of the recession and the standard of living continues to fall.

The time to run has come, but where can we hide?

The beginning of my student life, in 2006/7, the life that once was, looks better in memory. Career prospects in Ireland were excellent, third-level education was universal, and globalisation meant the world was your oyster.

This was the resounding message from my siblings, who graduated from the universities of Ireland. I recall those days fondly, this in contrast to today’s bleak backdrop.

The recession has led to much discussion about a new ‘lost generation,’ fuelled by an ESRI report that predicts 120,000 people will leave Ireland by 2011/12.

In the past 10 years, the Government became preoccupied with greed, which grew into an economic short-sightedness.

The focus of Dublin meant that the rest of us were left to rot, and, in the long run, the Government failed to make the much-anticipated investments now needed for the foreign jobs that Ireland so desperately hinges on. Now, graduates are emigrating and I will be forced to emigrate after them.

Ireland is developing a very harsh reality for me: one in which there is no growth or jobs stimulus to herald a road to recovery.

For more than 40 years, the Government has invested in education as the key to our economic development. Educated Irish people, at home, were seen as the key to attracting inward investment into Ireland, which helped make Ireland one of the fastest growing economies in the world.

This promise is now empty rhetoric for the future graduate.

Education at a Glance 2010, an OECD report on national education systems, shows Ireland’s educational expenditure to be the fourth lowest of 31 OECD countries.

The OECD Report published on September 7 last showed that, on average, OECD countries spends 6.2 per cent of GDP on education. Ireland spends 4.7 per cent on education, a figure that exceeds only three countries — the Czech Republic, Italy and Slovakia.

Our political system contributes to Ireland’s education problem. A

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Two of my friends are saying they are going to emigrate. I might go to England but I'd really miss my little sister. She's ten and I look after her when she's finished school ...

■ There aren’t enough women in Government.

Every time I turn on the telly it’s just men in suits rabbiting on and on. Women would make sure that families could live. I think the men are only thinking of business or power in their all-men club. I want to be an actor and they say Ireland is like a culture centre but even theatres and everything are going out of business. My friends and me were thinking that if you can’t get any work or experience then you can’t get any job at all and we were thinking that we’d just have to start things ourselves but now two of them are saying they are going to emigrate. I might go to England but I’d really miss my little sister. She’s 10 and I look after her when she’s finished school.

Emily, Dundalk, 19

rgently overnment u an Clancy

the G O’Reilly says ia ar m e n n A t en rnalism stud nd’s young.

E WALL? Jouguard the future of Irela H T N O G IN IS THE WRIT st in education to safe needs to inve

Picture: Kier

F310,000 five-year term leaves no government willing to invest in something longer term when immediate praise is their goal.

Irish politics is corrupted by nepotism and it’s no surprise that’s Ireland’s youth have lost faith in politics.

The recent Red C poll confirms that Brian Cowen’s approval rating has plummeted to 17 per cent. The feeling that all politicians are the same has developed among our youth. Radical change is needed to engage this lost generation, but it will not come from our stale political parties.

Youth unemployment will unleash social ills, the new legacy for Irish students. I predict an increase in social problems, drugs, alcohol abuse and crime.

Ireland’s most important resource is students and, as a nation, we must look forward by developing and growing this economy.

For me, the Ireland of today is disheartening, but could be bearable if I had some sort of idea that things might improve. What frightens me most is the idea that things will get worse. I have lost faith in the people in charge. There is no leadership in this country that I respect, because they give me no reason to respect them.

Long-term friendships from school years are now split. My friends have moved to new destinations, such as England and the United States. They attribute their move to the prospect of more opportunities.

The move to another country seems a necessity for me. A return

to Ireland will be likely, a return to cast my vote in the inevitable general election in 2011.

For the rest, people will be deterred from coming home for fear of becoming a dole statistic.

In the midst of anger and fear, I need to stay and help Ireland become the country I want it to be, so

‘

Each additional day the Minister for Education, Mary Coughlan puts Ireland’s education on the long finger, more and more highly skilled graduates leave the country, many of whom will never return. Her inaction is crippling my future ...

’

please give me reason to believe that the decision I make will be the correct one. It is the students of today who will be the leaders of tomorrow.

With our country doomed until 2014, Fianna Fáil has failed to develop a credible growth strategy, and a credible economic strategy, for the forthcoming graduates of Ireland.

Fianna Fáil, you have led the Irish people into a brain-drain Irish economy.

According to a September report from the Central Statistics Office, unemployment in Ireland is 13.6 per cent; long-term unemployment has increased to 5.9 per cent in the past year. 6.7 per cent of those who hold third-level degrees, or above, are unemployed.

The Celtic Tiger brought prosperity, along with a plethora of privileges. I now mourn the loss of the privilege to select my profession, and I have to accept that I may need to take on whatever job I can get.

The scale of the radical response needed is unthinkable.

This foolish budgetary policy is apparently as unstoppable as the foolish policies that caused the crash.

So what does the future hold for me, as one of Ireland’s new generation of graduates? Will students continue to emigrate or will recovery herald a return home?

Only time will tell.

■ Annemaria O’Reilly (22) is from Killarney, Co Kerry. She is studying for a master’s in journalism at the University of Limerick.

F279,000

■ The next government must ensure we are a greener country. Grants must be given for renewable resources in households and businesses and a lot more effort must be made in providing recycling facilities. We must also tap into the massive potential for solar energy.

We need more incentives to use bicycles in this country. Lower tax rates on all bicycle products and services and more bicycle lanes. This would also reduce heart, blood and obesity problems in Ireland, costing the country less in the long run.

We should also pay our government less. Brian Cowen is earning roughly F310,000 for a population of 4.1 million people. Barack Obama earns roughly F279.000 as president of a population of 301 million. Are we getting value for money from our Taoiseach?

Queue the next change.

Sinead, Cavan, 25 ■ The Government has accepted a loan of F85bn to pay off loans, which the young people of Ireland did not incur, but which we will have to pay off. I am unemployed, live with my mother and have no future prospects unless I go abroad.

Why should I have to move away from my friends and family as a result of this Government’s corruption and mismanagement?

It seems the Government do not have the country’s best interest at heart and I don’t believe they ever did. All Fianna Fáil and their ilk care about is jobs for the lads. You should all be on minimum wage and have your pensions revoked.

Shame on you for causing the collapse of this country, and my future along with it.

Róisín Stack, 29, Galway

— Thanks to SpunOut.ie for their support in the compilation of these comments

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SIPTU president Jack O’Connor described the 4-year plan issued by Cowen and Co as “a roadmap to the Stone Age”. Apt, sure. But may I propose a return to the time of BC? Before Cuts.

Before Crap.

Before Cowen.

■ What I don’t get most of all is how people are putting up with the mind-melting hypocrisy of it all. I don’t get how the free-market buccaneers who handcuffed the country to the radiator insist that they still have the moral and intellectual high ground; calling for fiscal responsibility and easing up regulation while the private enterprises they applaud so loudly swallow public money with voracious, ceaseless appetite. I don’t get how they have so much faith in a financial system so daft it can be brought down with a game of Chinese Whispers. I don’t get how those who lived by the sword think they’re immortal. I don’t get how the Irish public have taken the abuse they’ve been dealt this long.

Paddy Duffy, 25, Donegal ■ Where do we go from here? Where can we go?

Australia, Timbuktu? As a student in St. Patrick’s College, Drumcondra, I am educated surrounded by the future teachers. An energetic, enthusiastic student body who now start their careers with pensions pick-pocketed from them and a tenth of their wages siphoned off into some parallel universe that exists on Kildare Street where monetary values have no bearing on everyday life. SIPTU president Jack O’Connor described the 4-year plan issued by Cowen and Co as “a roadmap to the Stone Age”.

Apt, sure. But may I propose a return to the time of BC? Before Cuts. Before Crap. Before Cowen.

Rob O’Hanrahan, 19, Dublin.

— Thanks to SpunOut.ie for their support in the compilation of these comments

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GENERATION DEBT

W

HEN I was in secondary school my teachers and family assured me I was lucky to be heading to college and not into the jobs market. That was two years ago, and now with almost half of my degree under my belt, my luck has apparently run out. Remaining in college will bleed me dry financially if the Government has its way. What are my alternatives? Joining a dole queue or scraping together the money for a one-way ticket to God-knows-where.

I have my whole life ahead of me and, of course, I have plans, dreams and ambitions. My course of study has verified for me that I want to be a journalist, hopefully for a national newspaper but I’m willing to work my way up.

Like anyone I want to travel and have a career. I’m sure at some stage I’ll want to settle down and maybe one day I’ll start a family. I want to grow old and see my family and friends lead happy and healthy lives.

Nothing I have said is impossible but for the first time in my life my future is not in my hands.

There will be an empty chair at the dinner table this Christmas; perhaps every Christmas from now on.

My aunt bade farewell to her only son Conor just last week. The college graduate is now working on a Canadian ski slope. When I reminisce about growing up with Conor, I remember his excitement when going to Irish college every summer, his love of GAA and how he knew the words to more Irish songs then I know now. Despite his obvious love of Ireland, his country had no future to offer him. The disaster in our economy has separated our family.

More heartbreaking is that there are families dealing with much worse.

Conor is just one face among thousands who chose to emigrate rather than join a dole queue. Jobs, business and prudent budgeting are what will save this country. The Government has announced their

Friday | December 10 | 2010 | An Irish Examiner publication

The pain of more fees and the dole queue is not what young people expected from the money the Government had in the ‘boom’, writes Róisín Healy budgetary guidelines for the next four years; cut, cut, cut. Savings will be made, and many of the measures posed in the National Recovery Plan are logical and commendable.

Labour activation measures to combat the employment trap are positive actions that will prove sustainable over time. Even though social welfare is to be cut, the development of a single social assistance payment will provide savings for the Government, while also providing an incentive for those dependent on these payments to rejoin the workforce. It may seem harsh, but by reducing the number of people dependent on welfare payments, future budgetary cuts will not be as devastating.

There are other depressing and frightening proposals. Brian Cowen’s government have decided F700m needs to be cut from the health budget next year. Our health system will not be able to cope. Quality of service will decline and people will suffer. Scandals involving misdiagnoses and X-ray mix-ups may become more

prevalent. How can a system improve with less money, fewer employees and reduced facilities? It is logical to expect the worst from this particular cut. The number of in-patient beds is to be reduced.

I have experienced the indignity and discomfort of sleeping on a hospital trolley. You feel exposed, vulnerable and completely insignificant. No one should feel that way when they are sick.

Every family in Ireland has been touched by cancer. Cancer services are overburdened as it is, and waiting lists are dangerously long. Every day counts when it comes to the lethal disease. How much more unnecessary waiting and suffering are we expected to put up with? The politicians elected to represent us are putting the health of our loved ones at risk. What exactly are our taxes paying for? I think Irish taxpayers will agree that healthcare provision is more pertinent to our lives than bailing out banks. Pension cuts for the politicians who have failed the vulnerable would be a much more favourable option.

I have friends who are studying to be nurses, engineers, scientists and teachers. These are respectable professions that require hard work and dedication. They embarked on definite career paths. They have dreams, they have ambitions and they have paid what was necessary to get where they are today. More fees and an employment crisis did not feature in these plans. When it came to my education my mother has always said, “we’ll find a way.”

But I know there are parents who do not prioritise education in this way.

One of my friends is putting herself through college. She works two jobs.

What are her options? Should she give up college and work for a few years? Does the Government expect her to just forget about how much time and money she has put into her education and start from scratch?

It is such a waste for someone who is pursuing third-level education, trying to better themselves and build a career, to have to give up for monetary reasons. If there has ever been anything I needed, such as

The Government would have many believe it’s because I’m a product of the Celtic Tiger years — a lazy young person who wants everything handed to them on a plate. But not all of us have the benefit of declaring ourselves bankrupt and heading off to Marbella to relax.

Posed by model

■ I hate to say it, but it is in many ways embarrassing to be Irish. Our attitude towards life is unsettlingly backwards at times. Although we are a nation of great authors, musicians, poets and other creative forward thinkers, we are most famous for our alcohol abuse. The irony in this is that we are one of few European nations with completely unnecessarily strict licensing hours. With this in mind, can anyone really be surprised at the state of our political and economic situation? To change Ireland, we need to take back the money our greedy TD’s use to enjoy luxuries at our expense, let the banks fend for themselves and hope that our next government has at least some regard for his or her fellow citizens, because those in power at present care only for themselves.

Citizen Black, 25, Dublin

Burden of austerity falls on the young

■ I’m 25-years-old, highly-educated and experienced with a masters degree, but was made redundant last year and now cannot get a job for love nor money. The Government would have many believe it’s because I’m a product of the Celtic Tiger years — a lazy young person who wants everything handed to them on a plate.

But not all of us have the benefit of declaring ourselves bankrupt and heading off to Marbella to relax. The Government are attacking the most vulnerable in this budget. The young, the unemployed, the sick, the elderly, those on minimum wage. But yet those in banking who got us into this mess — were given bonuses and huge pensions! Maybe the government are hoping that enough of us will emigrate, and that those left behind will die from high cholesterol from eating all the cheese.

Marie Duffy, 25, Donegal

Róisín Healy, 19, is a student at UL and is hoping to become a journalist.

Picture: Kieran Clancy

maths grinds, revision books, or even when I decided to move away from home for college, I have always known that my parents would do all in their power to make it happen for me. But as I amend my plans for the future because of this crisis, I have come to the hard realisation that the support of my parents and the hard work I have put in just won’t be enough anymore.

The Government handles enormous sums of money. They have dealt with a recession before. Ireland has experienced economic depression and mass emigration before. I find it so hard to fathom how during the ‘boom’ years it never occurred to our political leaders to save some money for a rainy day.

Have they never heard that history repeats itself ? It is disappointing

‘

I can see an end to the crisis; but it is a long way down the line and will cost us so much more than money. Our sovereignty is worth more of a fight and should be prioritised over the jobs of politicians who are neither honest nor effective

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and shameful that not one of our political representatives is willing to be held accountable for ruining the future of our country. They say that the recession and the economic downturn are world phenomena beyond the control of our Government. I can see an end to the crisis; but it is a long way down the line and will cost us so much more than money. Our sovereignty is worth more of a fight and should be prioritised over the jobs of politicians who are neither honest nor effective.

My generation was raised to be ambitious. We do not want to have our future decided for us.

■ Róisín Healy, a student at the University of Limerick, is 19 and from Donoughmore, Co Cork.

www.irishexaminer.ie

■ THE Government’s plan for recovery has, as expected, hit those less well off the worst. But was it not bound to happen. The country, minus the Government as a whole did not know, nor did many take particular interest in how things were being run until we reached the absolute pit of no return. The Government denied and hid from the people just how bad things were until it was too late. Now as a country, we the younger generation will experience, first hand, the difficulties of picking up the pieces. .

Jovita Finnegan, 21, Waterford

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■ I think the whole situation lacks long-term thinking. The Government, the IMF, the EU are focused on the short term. Surely it would be more logical to have the election and allow the people of the country to give a mandate as to what type of budget and plan they want to see implemented. It would definitely lead to a more stable Ireland at least internally. Also, why oh why is it always those who can least afford it that are targeted. The people to be affected by the minimum wage cut are those ON minimum wage? Surely it makes more sense to squeeze some pennies out of those on F100,000+? I know it sounds like idealistic ramblings, but really our current reality is clearly not working so why not turn to a logical idealism?

Lucy Murray (Location and age not given).

■ I think a lot more people would be more understanding if the Government had been honest about it from the beginning. Too many bad decisions, too many politicians with big wages and expense accounts and not enough communication. That has to change.

Noel Fitzgerald (Location and age not given).

— Thanks to SpunOut.ie for their support in the compilation of these comments

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