Incoming YEPP Deputy Secretary General and Young Fine Gael member Colm Lauder has today (Thursday) condemned Sinn Féin, Fianna Fáil and Labour MEPs for not supporting funding for young people. 
MEPs Aylward, Crowley, Gallagher, de Brún, de Rossa and Childers all supported an amendment in a recent European Parliament vote, which effectively cut funding to young people by 100 million euro.
The MEPs voted to amend a proposal which allowed for a transfer of 100 million euro from administrative expenditure to youth related projects. The amendment was proposed by the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) which Fianna Fáil is part of.
“This demonstrates appalling hypocrisy on the part of Sinn Féin in particular. They are a party who continuously eulogise on their involvement in the community and condemn the large European bureaucracy but choose not to re-direct monies from administration to help young people,” said Lauder.
The proposal, contained in the report on the Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure of Parliament (A7-0087/2011), was part of a larger strategy to reduce the number of early school leavers to less than 10% and to ensure that 40% of 30-34 year olds hold a diploma.
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Sat 25th May, 2013 