Recession and the younger generations

Mostly, I feel absoloute loathing and disgust at our political system. Our political leaders, including our oppisition, have completely failed us. Fianna Fail's only solution to our problems is to do their utmost to restore the same way of doing business as much as possible - by propping up the banks' activities at the cost to the most vulnerable in our society. (And finding the most random of scapegoats, such as ordinary civil servant workers). Brian Cowen has cowardly refused to engage the elecorate in a national address, and has consistently demonstrated poor leadership qualities at the worst possible time in our country's history, merely create the image of himself as Fianna Fail's 'hatchet man'. His recent address to the Fianna Fail grassroots in which he listed loyalty to his party first before anything else, is very telling of his character and poor judgement. The Green Party, along with all our oppisition parties, have done nothing to rally the country behind them; merely pushing forward their own self-important policies and ideas in the hopes they will be awarded come election time. The Green Party is a particularly sorry sight, unless they do the right thing and realise their coalition has failed and pull out of government. Not that I have confidence 'the next shower' will be even better, but we need a national debate on the current state of Irish politics. With the gleam of George Lee's celebrity at Fine Gael now no more, people can now more likely see how little difference there is between our two main parties. Make no mistake, our "cultural malaise" - to invoke Jimmy Carter's infamous phrase - is the ultimate result of the domination of Civil War politics in our political consciousness and having opposing parties determinedly persuing similiar idealogies and policies; along with a small grouping of left-wing parties willing to prop either FF or FG up just to be in government. Not that other left-wing parties get off the hook either, such as the Socialist Worker's Party, Worker's Party, Communist Party of Ireland, etc. opting to not take the political process seriously in the least, hide behind slogans and demonstrations and usually get lost in trade union bureaucracy instead of presenting a united, left-wing alternative; or even worse, if you're of the dissident republican vein, such as Republican Sinn Fein, and instead turn the vast majority of the electorate off by appealing to the notion of armed struggle\thuggery, absenteeism or Britain's place in Six Counties being the source of our ills. Once the influence of both Fianna Fail and Fine Gael on both sides of the political coin are removed, whether that takes two years or twenty; then and only then will we will see dynamic, and fresh changes to the country. God willing, it'd be by the cenetary of the Easter Rising.

Posted by Mr. A on February 22, 2010 at 07:48 PM GMT #

Never got the dole. Went straight from secondary to work. Got my third level education by night study while I worked and raised a young family. Paid 60% income tax on my frst pay cheque. Paid 17% interest on my morgage. From the age of 16 I engaged with politicians.. I did not like them but I enaged with the system, and voted in every election from the day I qualified to vote. Made my own job, and did not wait for anyone to give me a job. Get out of the armchairs and do something besides moaning. Nobody will hand it to you.. you gotta after it.

Posted by Anto Kaye on February 22, 2010 at 10:31 PM GMT #

It's all very well for people to speak of working for free and to use the hackneyed stereotype of getting the whingers off their sofa. Unfortunately the vast majority of the population, especially the under-30's, simply cannot afford to work for free, or even for the €100pw Bill suggests. Most people have rent, bills and living costs to pay -and in the present climate this cannot be done for €100 as the cost of living has not decreased in line with decrease in earnings. I have seen both sides of the bite, I have worked for 15 years, left college due to lack of money (even though I was working 2 jobs) and have recently returned to education as lack of a degree prevented me from finding employment that allowed me to build a life. Now, when I graduate I will again have no prospects. I remember the 80's and whilst they were tough, at least young people in general didn't face the present prospect of never owning a home. The anger of this generation is not at having to work through tough times, it's the fear we have been left with of always living one step ahead of the breadline no matter how hard we work. The ageism expressed by this government has been institutionalised by the last budget -people are being denied full social welfare based SOLELY on their age; not the tax they have paid, or their economic situation. If we placed the same restriction on 45 year olds due to the reduced liklihood of long-term employment there would be uproar. And rightly so.

Posted by N Kearns on February 22, 2010 at 10:41 PM GMT #

First we need a change, a real change FF and FG are two cheeks of the one arse, a perpetuation of a 90 year system that is broken, and not fit for purpose Amhran Nua are a new party that will bring effective change, without the post civil war dynastic political caste. Secondly, we need to regain control of our own natural resources in the Corrib field, we are no longer a colony - this would provice funding for stimulus of the economy

Posted by Simon Jennings on February 22, 2010 at 10:51 PM GMT #

Here we go again with a lot of innocent dribble by the vast majority of this evenings young and misguided audience. Am I surprised that the political representatives did not fare much better either.The State and by extension the taxpayer has invested in every young person's learning opportunity from senior infant to 3rd level. It's called education assuming one wishes to avail of it. However, make no mistake about it, it is not the role of Government to provide young bright graduates or non graduates with secure employment. My advise to all these well eduacated young people is this: Stop bellyaching and accept the facts for what they are. There will be no jobs of any significant numbers in the foreseeable future.This is called a recession or depression and will run its course for some considerable time before economic correction ensues. So move on and use your energies & education in parts of the world that may present potential opportunity, just as countless generations were required to do before you.

Posted by Walter Hill on February 22, 2010 at 11:24 PM GMT #

THIS YOUNGER GENERATION NEED TO GET OUT TO LEINSTER HOUSE AND CHALLENGE THIS FAILED GOVERNMENT. THEY SHOULD FAMILARIZE THEMSELVES WITH IRELANDS HISTORY. NOT MUCH HAS CHANGED IN THE GOVERNMENTS PHILOSOPHY OVER THE YEARS. IN THE 60'S BRIAN LENIHAN SAID THAT "THIS COUNTRY IS NOT BIG ENOUGH FOR ALL OF US" (AT A TIME WHEN THE POPULATION WAS 3MILLION, WELL OF COURSE NOT, IF MOST REMAINED LIFE AT HIS END OF THE PLANK WOULD BE MUCH TOUGHER BOTH FOR HIM HIS FAMILY, & WE MIGHT NOT SEE 2 OF HIS OFFSPRING IN GOVERNMENT. FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS THE PEOPLE HAVE VOTED FF INTO POWER.& THE LEARNED MEN AND WOMEN OF DUBLIN REELECTED A LEADER THAT WAS APPEARING BEFORE A TRIBUNAL FOR ALLEDGED IRREGULARITIES. THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE EXPENSES SCAM, THOUSANDS OF TAXPAYERS MONEY SPENT ON LIMMOS, EXECUTIVE LOUNGES, 5*HOTELS WORLDWIDE, 1ST CLASS TRAVEL, HAIRDO'S RACE MEETINGS & I COULD GO ON. THE YOUTH APPEAR NOT TO BE ABLE TO PICK UP ON THIS STYLE OF GOVERNMENT THAT IS TOTALLY UNSUITABLE FOR OUR COUNTRY. WE HAVE HOSPITAL CLOSURES, DILAPIDATED SCHOOLS, HOSPITALS UNFIT FOR HUMAN HABITATION.& ALL THIS IN A TIME OF THE THE CELTIC TIGER. WELL I SAY THERE WAS NO CELTIC TIGER, BUILDERS, BANKERS, AND GOVERNMENT ALL LIVING A HIGH LIFE ON CREDIT. A PARCEL OF LAND IN THE MIDLANDS WAS BOUGHT IN 2006 FOR 13 MILLION EURO, NO JOKE, THAT PARCEL OF LAND IS NOW WORTH 1/2 MILLION EURO, AND THE BOI (SORRY TAXPAYER) IS LEFT HOLDING THE BABY. ONE COULD BUY A PARCEL OF LAND IN LONDONS MAYFAIR, ONE OF THE RICHEST COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD FOR HALF THE PRICE. 3000 NEW BUILDS STANDING EMPTY IN ROSCOMMON, & BUILDERS STILL LOOKING FOR PLANNING PERMISSION TO BUILD HOUSING ESTATES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE COUNTRY, HOUSES BUILT ALL OVER THE COUNTRY WITH NO INFRASTRUCTURE, WATER LINES NOT BUILT TO THE REQUIRED DEBTH, FREEZING UP FOR WEEKS OVER WINTER, ALL OF THIS OVERSEEN BY TOWN/COUNTY PLANNERS & ENGINEERS. HOUSES BUILT ON FLOODPLAINS DESPITE OBJECTIONS FROM RESIDENTS. ALL THIS TOO OVERSEEN BY A FF GOVERNMENT. NOT ONLY IS A CHANGE OF GOVERNMENT NEEDED, A CHANGE IN THE SYSTEMS IS A REQUIRMENT. TD'S SHOULD BE SALARIED, THE EXPENSES SCAM MUST STOP. THE HSE PARED DOWN, WHY DO WE HAVE SUCH A LARGE ADMINSTRATION FOR SUCH A SMALL HEALTHCARE SYSTEM. ALL JOBS ADVERTISED AND NOT HANDED OUT ON A WHIM TO CRONIES. NOW YOU MAY SAY THAT THIS IS A NEGATIVE PIECE, BUT THESE ARE THE FACTS, & IN MY VIEW ITS ONLY THE YOUTH THAT WILL CHALLENGE, THE ELDERS ARE EITHER TOO COSY, OR TOO FIXED IN THEIR WAYS.

Posted by Peig Richards on February 23, 2010 at 12:14 AM GMT #

I'm in full agreement with many of the previous comments. The so-called representatives of the younger generation had nothing constructive to add to the debate except whine about not having their unrealistic expectations met upon graduating. As a 26 year old funding my postgraduate studies working any spare time I can in hospitality, I am fully aware that I have little chance of finding the perfect job when I finish this Autumn. Thankfully, I have 10 years work experience under my belt in many different fields and am quite used to reaching a happy compromise. We are extremely fortunate to live in a country that financially harnesses Third Level education. I know people in the US and UK who graduate owing up to $40k in tuition fees, facing the exact same competitive job market. You create your own chances.

Posted by Joanne M on February 23, 2010 at 12:36 PM GMT #

All, Further to the comments on the board here, I was an audience member last night, and am currently a (self funded) Smurfit School student- having returned from several years in Canada. First, I agree with many who commented here and elsewhere, that the 'revolutionary' section of the audience did little to bring the conversation forward in any meaningful way; and I feel those who carry these views were largely misrepresented by the few who spoke. Second, the two politicians who appeared gave little solace to a (perhaps rightly) hostile audience. However, as I expressed in the closing moments of the programme, the last thing this country needs is yet another hour of institution bashing. Clearly there is heated sentiment from all sectors of society, clearly the country has been on the wrong path for a number of years- and most importantly, it is clear that neither of the government spokespersons who commented last night have the answers. I contend that those answers are among the people of this country, and are not the sole responsibility of the institutions therein. Pivotally, the conversation became distracted by those with their own agenda; and instead of creating a forum for the sharing of solutions, we again fell into the thrashings of the disaffected youth that tired rhetoric would have us labeled as. The question I posed-and was unanswered- was framed in the context of those who do not want to continue to river of complaints (founded and all as they may be), rather how a platform can be established for the sharing of workable and substantive solutions. Which, all agree, this country desperately needs. We have an opportunity to be the generation who stood, and collaborated, and rebuilt- rather than the ones who held out one hand with open palm; and the other with a pointed finger. N

Posted by N on February 23, 2010 at 07:40 PM GMT #