Youth guarantee scheme being urged to tackle unemployment

The Chairman of the Oireachtas Committee on EU Affairs said that a youth guarantee scheme would provide protection for young people across the country who are out of work.

A new report to tackle youth unemployment will be launched today at 10am and will also look at the need for a European Youth Guarantee -which will ensure young people receive a quality offer of employment or continued education within four months of becoming unemployed.

The Committee Chairman Dominic Hannigan said the report makes a number of practical recommendations for policy makers in Europe and within Ireland.

"Clearly what we have to do is make sure that the youth guarantee scheme works for people, gives them hope, gives them the potential to get back to the job market," he said.

"It is not going to be cheap so what we need to do is make sure there is sufficient funds in place to enabler the scheme to be rolled out to all young people who need to access this guarantee."