Engaging with viral social media trends is not the key to youth engagement in the upcoming election.
This is the view of the director of policy and advocacy of the National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI), Kathryn Walsh, who said, if parties and general election candidates are serious about youth engagement and representation, they need to move beyond "tokenistic gestures and platitudes".
"Channelling 'what about young people' in press releases or speeches is not enough. Genuine engagement, listening and hearing young people, youth organisations, and youth workers is critical," she said.
"Manifestos and political strategies must set out clear priorities for young people and actions to be championed in the next programme for government.
"We know housing, cost of living, employment, transport and education are important issues for young people and these must be addressed."
The 'State of our Young Nation: A report into the lives of Irish 18-29-year-olds' results earlier this year showed the most pressing concerns for young people in Ireland are housing (67 per cent) and the cost of living (62 per cent).
The report also showed that over half of young people (52 per cent) live with their parents, with financial constraints being a primary reason, and this figure rose to 74 per cent amongst 18 to 22-year-olds.
When it comes to transport, Walsh said the NYCI welcomed the extension of the young adult Leap Card until the end of 2025 that was announced in Budget 2025, but said young people have made it clear that transport remains a major concern.
"While the extension is positive, NYCI echoes the calls for free public transport for young people as a long-term solution to ease the cost-of-living crisis," she said.
"Transport costs are a significant burden on young people, particularly those in education and lower-paid jobs. This would have been the perfect opportunity to reduce costs for students, especially those who are commuting, because they cannot find affordable, safe and accessible accommodation near their campus.
"We need to see more than temporary measures – young people need ongoing, sustainable support to ensure access to affordable transport."
Opportunities for young people
Walsh said Ireland offers strong educational opportunities and a vibrant cultural scene, which are highly valued by young people.
However, the high cost of living and housing issues significantly impact the overall quality of life.
"Many young people feel underpaid and undervalued in their jobs. Despite these challenges, there is a strong sense of community and pride in Irish culture," she said.
Walsh said Budget 2025 failed to address income adequacy for young people.
With six in 10 of 18-29-year-olds citing rising costs as a top concern, failure to deal with lower rates of Jobseekers Allowance for under 25s is a missed opportunity, she said.
"These punitive rates mean young people are not receiving an adequate income to survive with rising costs.
"Equalisation of Jobseekers Allowance in Budget 2025 would have been a positive measure to support some of those young people furthest behind with significant cost of living challenges."
On education, Walsh said "one-off measures are not enough".
"NYCI acknowledges the €1,000 reduction in college fees and a similar one-off reduction for apprenticeships, but these are short-term solutions that do not address the deeper financial challenges faced by students.
"Previous research from the Higher Education Authority shows that one in three students are facing serious financial difficulties, and this budget offers little in the way of ongoing support."
Walsh said the Government failed to mention student accommodation at a time when there are many students staying in "unsafe, inaccessible, and overpriced housing across the country".
"The increase in the renters' credit was good, but it doesn't go far enough to give students the supports that they need."
