Fiona Gribben | Staff Writer
Jonathan Graham, Trinity student and the youngest candidate running in this year’s Local Election is keen for a voice thoroughly representative of the Irish youth to be heard in politics.
On the back of a well-received speech at the Sinn Féin Ard Fheis in Wexford at the beginning of the month, the second-year BESS student has called on more young people to get involved in politics in light of the lack of priority given to youth issues in the Dáil.
Jonathan is unequivocal in his belief that the current coalition is failing young people, in particular students. In his speech he discussed the startling figure that youth unemployment in Ireland currently stands at 25%, the sixth highest rate in Europe. He believes that “emigration is the single biggest issue facing students today closely followed by the dearth of credible and meaningful jobs.”
Jonathan is particularly disappointed at the failure of the government to direct adequate funding to the Youth Guarantee in this year’s Budget. He said, “The International Labour Organisation told us it would take 436 million, instead we got 14 million, a meagre 3%. This is at a time where our youth are being exploited by Jobs Bridge…where our government waste untold millions bailing out bondholders and breaking salary.”
The strained financial realities are having a detrimental effect on the mental health of young people, Jonathan said. “The prospect of owning a car has faded into a dream, the reality is instead the inability to afford the bus. The inadequacy of not being able to contribute to our society, has engineered a feeling of worthlessness which must be tackled.”
If elected in May, Jonathan fully intends to continue into third year at Trinity. The combined workloads will undoubtedly be challenging, however “with the required efficient use of timing and scheduling,” he believes both roles of student and councillor are achievable.
At the Ard Fheis, Jonathan’s impassioned speech received a standing ovation; consequently he has experienced some media interest, with the Irish Times labelling him “the bow-tied sapeur…with a great pay-off line.” However disregarding the media attention as part of the course, Jonathan is focusing his attentions on canvassing in the run up to Election Day on the May 23.
