Apprenticeship scheme sought
MORE than 220 young Wicklow residents under the age of 26, are in receipt of jobseeker’s allowance, jobseeker’s benefit or signing for credits for 12 months or more.
That’s according to new figures from the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection.
According to the National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI), an ‘access apprenticeships programme’ is required to support the almost 9,000 long-term unemployed nationwide.
Deputy director James Doorley called for the development of and investment in such a programme at the publication of the organisation’s pre-budget submission recently.
In its 2019 submission ‘Future Proof with Investment in Youth’, the NYCI, which repre- sents youth organisations working with over 380,000 young people nationwide, is calling for an investment of €22 million in the education, training and access to apprenticeships to halve long-term youth unemployment by the end of 2019.
‘Census 2016 indicates that our population aged 10-24 years will increase to over one million by 2025, so we need to invest in policies, services and supports to meet the needs of young people today, while preparing for demographic pressures in the coming years,’ Mr Doorley said.
The group is proposing that €2 million is invested in an apprenticeship programme as well as the introduction of new additions including animation, horticulture and healthcare. WICKLOW folk who play the Lotto are in with a pretty good chance of bagging a jackpot as a new National Lottery survey has revealed that the county is the country’s sixth luckiest when it comes to playing the game.
Wicklow has had a total of 54 jackpot winners, scooping a total of €76 million between them over the last 30 years.
Using 2016 Census Population figures, the National Lottery ‘Luckiest Lotto Counties’ data shows that Wicklow has 3.79 Lotto jackpot winners for every 10,000 people, coming in sixth behind Louth, Donegal, Mayo and Dublin.
Speaking on the release of the ‘Luckiest Lotto Counties’ data National Lottery CEO, Dermot Griffin said: ‘One of the most frequent questions we are asked is what is Ireland’s luckiest Lotto county. There has always been great rivalry amongst our players all over the country to claim this title so we are delighted to confirm that using the 2016 Census population figures that Co Wicklow comes in high as the sixth luckiest spot in Ireland.’
However, Mr Griffin stressed that it is purely a matter of luck, and regardless of where you live, you have the same chance of winning.
‘ Whether it is in Wicklow, Laois, Limerick or Louth, in a shop or online from the comfort of your own home, you have the exact same chance of winning a prize. However, our Lotto players in Wickow have punched above their weight for the last 30 years with considerably more Lotto millionaires per head of population.’ he added.