The current fall in the birth rate represents a real opportunity to channel resources towards combating youth unemployment, according to the Minister of State for Labour Affairs, Ms Eithne Fitzgerald.
She was speaking at the opening of an exhibition on "Career Planning and Employment Opportunities" in Dublin yesterday. Ms Fitzgerald pointed out that there was a strong link between unemployment and lack of formal skills or qualifications.
Holding people in the educational system longer was probably the one most effective strategy to prevent the creation of a new generation of unemployed emerging. Yet 5,000 pupils were dropping out of school each year. The falling birth rate should make it possible to reach more of these youngsters.
The exhibition is organised by FAS annually in conjunction with the European Commission and the Irish Independent.