ECONOMIC planning without a significant input from youth organisations would be foolish, the National Youth Council of Ireland said. Ireland had the highest proportion of young people under 25 in the EU. While the EU average was 25 per cent of the population, in Ireland 42 per cent of the population was under 25.
The economy's success would depend on the skills and productivity of young people, the NYCI said. Yet youth unemployment was an obstacle to economic development and contributed to major social problems such as drugs and crime.
Since the first national agreement was signed in 1987, the number of unemployed under 25 years had increased from 74,000 to 75,000, said the NYCI. Figures also showed that 50 per cent of young workers were also employed in the low pay sectors of the economy.
Of those leaving school each year 25,000 were educationally disadvantaged and 13,500 suffered severe educational disadvantage. Yet there were only 6,400 places available on Government training schemes.
Any new agreement must include measures to ensure young people could be successfully integrated into the workforce. Tax reform and wage restraint would keep Ireland competitive while developing the country's human capital.