The increase in young intake into the Northern Irish Assembly
has been welcomed by SDLP Youth Office Charlie Goan, and has called on these
new politicians to work harder on youth issues such as a “Brain Drain” and youth
services.
Thursday the 5th of May saw the beginning of the new assembly
mandate and an increase in new, young faces admitted to Stormont. In this new
mandate there has been an increase of young, able politicians.
Speaking on the matter Mr Goan said “I believe it is time
that the politicians in the area began to listen to young people’s views and to
begin to take young people seriously. There are many issues that face the youth
population in West Tyrone including the Brain Drain and lack of services for
young people.”
“Having had many successful meetings in the past with Daniel
McCrossan MLA, Claire Hanna MLA and Nichola Mallon MLA I have every faith that
the new SDLP team in Stormont can deliver these services for young people. The
SDLP has shown leadership in the past and with the youngest leader of a
political party in Stormont and a growing youth team in Castlederg and
Strabane, now is the perfect time to lobby your local MLAs on these issues.”
“As a local teenager I have witnessed first-hand
the growing need for effective government in Stormont. Castlederg, Aghyaran,
Strabane and the entire constituency has become a black stop where droves of
our young people leave to seek opportunities abroad. This should be the mandate
in which we turn around this trend and bring further opportunity to the
constituency. I believe this process has already began with the election of
Daniel McCrossan, a forward thinking, youthful presence that the constituency has
been crying out for for a considerable amount of time”
