Madam, – I was dismayed by the sweeping generalisations made by Shane Fitzgerald about young people (Renewing the Republic, March 19th). Being young myself, and in my final year of college, I by no means underestimate the devastating reality young Irish people face for the foreseeable future. It is doubtful emigration will slow down soon. There is a high possibility that I will follow many of my friends abroad once college ends this June.
The worldwide economic collapse reached far beyond our little open economy in the Atlantic. Every government faced incredibly difficult decisions. The ripples felt in the US became waves by the time they hit Ireland. Weekly, our Government borrows an astronomical amount of cash just to keep us afloat. Massive government cuts are not a flippant choice – they’re an absolute imperative to keep our heads above the water. For how much longer do we have to listen to the blame game, instead of pulling together and getting on with it?
On the issue of youth apathy, I couldn’t disagree more. I’d remind the author that on the same day pensioners marched to protect their medical card, they were met by thousands of students who wanted to save their free third- level education. I was there. Just because we didn’t get the same press coverage, doesn’t mean it didn’t happen.
The last Lisbon Treaty referendum was another example of a youth movement, where hundreds of young volunteers, including myself, campaigned to get people to vote. The classic “youth-of-today” argument is inherently flawed.
The confidence we have, having been raised as Celtic-cubs, makes us incomparable to my parents’ generation which left in the 1980s for London and elsewhere. I still have confidence in this country, and its capabilities. Moreover, I have utmost faith in us young people, who, contrary to popular belief, are bright, confident, politically clued-in, and willing to brush themselves off and start again.
It is correct to say we have deep institutional and structural faults that need to be corrected, including electoral reform. But these are not linked to youth apathy and inaction. I for one, have not lost belief, faith or morals. – Yours, etc,