Sir, - After a year in office, the Government's performance in addressing the needs of young people in Ireland deserves criticism.
Recently, the Minister for Youth Affairs, Willie O'Dea, quietly released details of a freeze in levels of National Lottery support for youth-related areas. When inflation is factored in, the net result will be less money to support existing work, never mind to develop any new programmes or ideas.
In March 1998, the National Youth Council of Ireland published a survey of 1,400 people aged between 15 and 24 years, questioned at 64 locations across the country. Seven out of 10 thought that the Government was not adequately tackling the drugs problem, which is an understandable view considering a related question placed "education and prevention" at the top of the list of priorities in the effective tackling of the drugs problem. A year after taking up office, it appears the Government has still not implemented a nationwide education and prevention strategy on drugs. The role of the Government's Young People's Facilities and Services Fund of £30 million, announced in January as a response to the drugs problem, needs to be scrutinised. A badly needed £20 million was committed to 13 "Task Force Areas" affected by the drugs problem. The purpose of the remaining £10 million remains unclear and the criteria for its distribution are still something of a mystery. What is becoming obvious is that little or none of it will be spent on implementing a countrywide education programme on drugs.
Young people have felt the brunt of negative Government policy on the issue of unemployment. To cap the year, the Tanaiste has proposed to limit and even remove the Social Welfare safety net for the young unemployed. Offering threats and criticism to people who are in need of help, support and education is an approach that will not succeed. It will create even more problems. - Yours, etc., Jillian Hassett, President,
National Youth Council of Ireland,
Montague St,
Dublin 2.