Joint EU approach on unemployment urged

THE EU Commissioner for Social Affairs, Mr Padraig Flynn, is to meet five young unemployed Europeans from Ireland, Britain, Portugal…

THE EU Commissioner for Social Affairs, Mr Padraig Flynn, is to meet five young unemployed Europeans from Ireland, Britain, Portugal, Norway and Greece today as part of the campaign against youth unemployment, writes Padraig Yeates, Industry and Employment Correspondent.

The Irish representative is Ms Tracy Dunne from Knocknaheeney in Cork city. She works voluntarily with 13 to 15 year olds and has taken part in the European Parliament's hearing on youth unemployment.

There are 75,000 people under 25 unemployed in the Republic but the problem is not unique to Ireland, the director of the National Youth Council of Ireland, Mr Peter Byrne, said yesterday. There is a need for a unified European approach and Ireland could make an important contribution.