Youth Fight for Jobs picket Minister over Vampire comments

A spokesperson for Youth Fight for Jobs Fermanagh said:

“Being unemployed is not a lifestyle choice, young people do not want to spend their lives alternating between unemployment and low-paid jobs. In fact, I think employers in this county are consciously exploiting young people knowing their desperation to get and keep a job.

“At the same time rather than creating employment for young people those in power seek to blame us for the fact that there’s not enough jobs.

“They don’t mind because they have big wages and are drawing huge expenses claims. In the 2007 tax year, Sir Empey drew down almost £67,000 in expenses; that’s more than £1,200 a week on top of equally big wages. All the politicians in Stormont are the same. Young people are tired of them and their excuses.

“He has the nerve to call young people who can’t find work ‘vampires’! If Sir Empey had removed his fangs from the Taxpayer’s money, he would have realised that by now!”

“Youth Fight for Jobs have initiated this picket to expose Sir Empey’s assault on young people and we will be taking forward other actions to highlight the need for job creation to give young people the chance to stay in our county.”

Domhnall Ó Cobhthaigh, coordinator of the Socialist Party in Fermanagh, attended the picket in support.

“I want to commend those young people who organised this protest. It is good to see young people come out in such dreadful weather for a cross-community protest against the right-wing politics of the assembly parties. Young people are more aware of the huge environmental, social and economic costs of the current system and demand something better. I welcome the establishment of Youth Fight for Jobs in Fermanagh and encourage more young people to get involved in their campaigning work.”