Succesful day of action on Youth Unemployment.

No sooner than the record unemployment figures had been released than Ógra activists hit the streets across Ireland.

Activists in Cork, Galway, Navan and Bray targeted Dole offices, FF constituency offices, and Fas offices highlighting the complete lack of action by the government on the Youth Unemployment sector.

Dole Queue in Cork

In Cork, activists picketed and leafleted outside the Dole office from half 8 until 10, at the offices of Green Senator Dan Boyle from 10 until 11, and from 11am at the offices of Minister Micheal Martin.

The fast developing new cumann in Bray targeted the FÁS office, highlighting that organisations complete inadequacy, as well as the obscene pay-off to Rody Molloy, granted at the same time the dole for young people was being cut

Staying in Leinster, Meath Ógra targeted the office of Minister Noel Dempsey, while activists in the West targeted the consituency office of another Fianna Fáil TD, Frank Fahy in Galway City.

Michael Martin's Constituency Office in Cork

Frank Fahy's Constituency Office in Galway

Other areas have since been active on this crucial issue and will continue to be in the weeks and months to come.

Speaking following the pickets, Ógra Shinn Féin National Organiser Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire had the following to say.

Green Senator Dan Boyle's Office in Cork

'The most recent figures released show 452,882 people are unemployed. Despite efforts in the Media to pretend that the recession is now over, 6000 people joined the ranks of the unemployed in the last month. This is the highest number ever recorded, but the government is still attempting to pretend that the crisis is exaggerated and under control.

Young people in particular are badly affected, with 1 in 4 now unemployed.
It’s clear that the government is unable and unwilling to tackle this crisis.

FÁS office in Bray, Ógra activists with Cllr John Brady

We undertook these actions to highlight the complete inaction on the part of the government and to encourage young people to get angry to get active, and to fightback. We intend to build on this to begin a sustained campaign to keep youth unemployment on the agenda. and to show the government that young people will not be ignored. Ógra can be to the forefront of the fightback''