{
  "id": 4738626,
  "title": "Youth employment didn't fully recover from crash - report",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/youth-employment-didnt-fully-recover-from-crash-report",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-31T23:01:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "RTE News",
    "slug": "rte-news",
    "url": "https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2026/0901/1589872-youth-unemployment-report/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A new report commissioned by the National Youth Council of Ireland reveals that youth employment has not fully recovered from the financial crash. Despite a significant decline in youth unemployment, young people in Ireland continue to face challenges in securing stable, well-paid work and achieving independence. Between 2000 and 2008, around 400,000 individuals aged 15 to 24 were employed. However, this figure dropped by more than half during the crisis years of 2008 to 2012, before only modestly recovering. As of the third quarter of 2021, youth employment stood at 320,600.\n\nThe report highlights that youth unemployment remains more than twice the rate of workers aged 25 and over, exceeding the Government's own benchmark. Labor market participation among 15 to 24-year-olds has also sharply and permanently declined. Kathryn Walsh, Director of Policy and Advocacy at NYCI, emphasizes that the recovery in youth unemployment does not guarantee secure, fairly paid work or the ability to build an independent life. Sub-minimum wages, unaffordable housing, social exclusion, and pressure to emigrate are still pressing issues for young people, even in near-full employment conditions.\n\nThe research further reveals that a growing number of working young people are living with their parents. To effectively address youth employment, the report stresses the importance of considering whether young people can access decent work, adequate income, secure housing, and if employment can provide a pathway to independence in Ireland.",
  "summary": "Youth unemployment has reduced significantly since the financial crash, but the number of young people in employment has never fully recovered, according to a new report.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}