Kathryn Reilly (Sinn Fein)

Every young person is advised to go to school, go to college, get a job and raise a family. What happens when it is not feasible for one to go to school or college because neither one nor one's family can afford it? What happens when there are no jobs for one or one's friends? What happens when one is forced to emigrate? What happens when one cannot to afford to survive because one's income is being hacked away every year?

For many young people, this budget will offer a choice between hardship in education, hardship at home and an uncertain future. It offers them the prospect of dole or emigration. Other Senators have referred to the cuts in the payment made to people with disabilities between the ages of 18 and 24. Similarly, the jobseeker's allowance paid to people under the age of 25 was reduced in a previous budget. Last week, I asked the Leader to facilitate a debate on youth unemployment. I would like to go a bit further today by asking the Leader to provide for consultation with groups advocating on behalf of young people, just as he did with groups advocating on behalf of older people. If we bring youth organisations to the House for a discussion, we can open a dialogue on how Ireland treats young people, especially people under the age of 25 who are being butchered and targeted by cuts. I ask the Leader to facilitate such a debate in the upcoming period, if possible.