Wednesday 10 June 2020
Green Party Cllr Brian Smyth has said that we must strive to enhance the prospects of our young people with a post Covid Green Recovery.
Brian’s comments follow a new report from the University of Ulster stating that the economic damage of the coronavirus crisis will hit young workers hardest.
Cllr Brian Smyth, a youth worker by profession, said:
“Young people have been scarred by the 2008-2009 recession and once again they are staring into economic downturn.
“Across the last decades we have let our young people down - unattainable housing, university tuition fees, Brexit, climate breakdown and insecure employment.
“Yet we know that our young people care deeply about the future of this place and it’s people.
“They’ve taken to the streets calling for action on climate breakdown and we heard them at the weekend telling us that black lives matter and challenging a political system that institutionalises inequality.”
Brian continued:
“A Green Recovery can help us build back better. That means a plan to tackle climate breakdown while creating a fair society that works for everyone.
“Young people need well-paid, secure, unionised jobs. These jobs can be created through the just transition to a low carbon economy.
“There is a once in a generation opportunity to make the transformation. We can’t subject this generation of young people to the austerity and misery inflicted on the previous one.”
ENDS
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Sinead McIvor - 07701 302 498
