Ask the TDs: Sinn Fein’s Pearse Doherty on Emigration

Each week in the run up to the General Election, JOE is asking a representitive from each of the main political parties to answer a burning question relevant to Irish men in 2011.

We're not putting any spin on their answers: we ask the question, they give us their answers, and we print what they tell us.

Representing Sinn Féin on our virtual panel of Dáil Deputies is the TD for Donegal South Pearse Doherty.

Question: "What would you do, and do quickly, to stop the flood of young bright Irish men leaving our shores? Does it really make a difference which party leads the government, as many of these young men have lost faith in Ireland and can’t see a reason to stay, let alone stay and vote?"

Answered by Sinn Féin's Pearse Doherty TD

Youth unemployment must be made a priority for any incoming government. 100,000 young people under 25 expected to emigrate in the next two years.

Without a serious youth jobs plan we are in danger of losing a generation of talented young people who will have little option but to leave these shores in search of work. They have been failed by the previous government. They must not be failed by the next.

Yesterday we in Sinn Féin launched our plan for tackling youth unemployment.

The proposals contained in the plan have the potential to get 50,000 young people off the dole immediately and create many more jobs in the years ahead.

Our proposals include:

• A youth jobs fund to create 20,000 new jobs
• An individual plan for the long-term prospects of every person under 25 on the live register
• 2,000 places on a ‘One More Language Scheme’ to give the young unemployed a chance to learn an extra foreign language
• 5,000 free ECDL places
• 10,000 new CE places
• 1,000 places on conversion courses at third level to help graduates convert their skills to potential growth sectors
• 8 measures to treble the number of under 25s who are self-employed including a national entrepreneurship programme, access to credit and greater support for high-potential start-ups
• A publicly owned green tech firm for Ireland and a major drive to attract FDI in renewable energy
• Making Ireland a digital media leader through support for skills, infrastructure and entrepreneurship
• A ‘National Development Scheme’ to employ people directly on public works projects employing 2,000 workers
• Lifting of the suspension on the early farm retirement scheme to make farming an option for younger people

We need a government who are serious about tackling this issue. We in Sinn Féin have pledged, if elected to government, to make this issue a priority.

I would appeal to all young people to use their vote to elect candidates and parties who have the proposals and have the political will to tackle youth unemployment.

Pearse Doherty TD is standing for election as a Sinn Féin candidate in the Donegal South constituency. Check out Pearse's website at www.pearsedoherty.ie/wordpress/