A NEW Ross resident has begun a one-man protest at O’Hanrahan Bridge to highlight the lack of job opportunities for young people in the local area and he has vowed to keep his protest going ‘for as long as it takes to get a job’.
John Paul Kelly, who is originally from Dublin, has been living in New Ross for the last four years. He decided to take to the street, the N25 between New Ross and Waterford, on Monday at 11.30 a.m. after having no luck in securing employment in or around the town.
His protest, which has taken the form of a live ‘job search’, saw him erect a large sign on which he wrote: ‘Unemployed and seeking employment. Hire me…’
“I’m just sick and tired of being unemployed,” he told The Echo.
“I’m originally from Dublin and I’m finding it very hard to even get an interview down here,” he added.
Mr. Kelly has sent out numerous emails and applied to lots of job advertisements but in many cases didn’t even receive a reply yet alone an offer of interview.
“My background is in the catering and fast-food areas,” he said.
The 26 year-old father-of-one is planning on getting married soon; his fiancé is from the New Ross area – and said he just wants to work.
“That is the bottom line,” he said.
“I just want to work and when people say you don’t have experience well how are you actually supposed to get experience if no-one will give you a chance,” he added.
“I’ve applied to local takeaways that were advertising for people but I didn’t even hear back from anyone.”
Mr. Kelly said the situation can be depressing and when asked if he felt the Government is doing enough to create job opportunities for young people he said: “Well, I think some things are being done but a lot more needs to be done because I’m not alone; there are more people out there looking for work. I’ve tried everything and sent my CV to loads of places but nothing.”
Having experience working with the likes of McDonalds and also at major music festivals like Oxygen Mr. Kelly thought he would stand a fair chance of getting work in the fast food industry locally but so far he has not been able to do that.
“I’m a husband-to-be so it’s really important for me that I do get employment,” he said.
Before moving to New Ross four years ago he lived in Tramore and Kilkenny.
“I’ve family down in this area and my mam is the only one living in Dublin,” he said.
When asked how long he plans to stage his protest he said: “I will do it the whole week or for as long as it takes until I get a job.”
“The Government could be doing a lot more to help people,” he said.
“The boredom also leads to depression and that is another issue,” he added.
He went on to say: “I’m just sick of it [being unemployed] at this stage and at the end of the day I just want the opportunity to work and to show someone who will give me a chance that I can do the job.”
