Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 2 Mar 1999

Vol. 501 No. 3

Written Answers. - Youthreach Programmes.

Richard Bruton

Question:

396 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of persons in youthreach over the past ten years; and the total cost of youthreach distinguishing income support from programme provision over the past ten years. [6274/99]

Richard Bruton

Question:

397 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science the number in youthreach at foundation and progression levels. [6275/99]

Richard Bruton

Question:

398 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science the position of graduates from youthreach one year after they complete participation. [6276/99]

Richard Bruton

Question:

399 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science the proportion of those completing youthreach who receive certification and the certification achieved. [6277/99]

Richard Bruton

Question:

400 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Edu cation and Science the proportion of entrants to youthreach who have no qualifications or have junior or leaving certificates. [6278/99]

Richard Bruton

Question:

401 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science the classification by age of youthreach participants. [6279/99]

Minister for Education and Science (Mr. Martin)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 396, 397, 398, 399, 400 and 401 together.

The youthreach programme was introduced as a joint initiative by FÁS and the vocational education committees in 1989, to provide integrated education, vocational training and work experience for young people in the 15-18 year age group who had left school with either no qualifications or minimal qualifications.

The numbers and cost of the programme in the VEC sector are set out in the following table. The figures up to the end of 1997 do not include training allowances paid to participants, as these were paid by FÁS up to 6 April 1998. The 1998 outlay on training allowances is for part of the year only.

Year	Total VEC cost£	Average number of trainees
1989	1,221,144	467
1990	2,512,469	622
1991	4,490,398	1353
1992	6,199,292	1487
1993	7,497,123	1461
1994	7,651,924	1458
1995	9,001,059	1636
1996	9,884,354	1736
1997	10,443,672	1751
1998	15,581.769*	1531to end Oct

*Includes £3,643,166 allowances from 6 April 1998.

A prescriptive approach as to the numbers on foundation and progression level was not adopted at central level, in order to ensure that local centres would have the maximum flexibility to respond to local need. The actual take-up of trainees on foundation and progression level is currently being gathered and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as it is available. Of those who complete youthreach, 70.6 per cent enter employment or further education or training. All youthreach trainees avail of certification options ranging from subjects in the junior certificate to City and Guilds, RSA and other providers, and certification from the National Council for Vocational Awards. NCVA certification at foundation level was implemented nationally with effect from September 1997, and level 1 will be implemented nationally with effect from March 1999. Registrations and in-service training took place for this in 1998. The NCVA has an agreement with FÁS which provides for mutual recognition for progression purposes of the FÁS integrated assessment system foundation certificate and the NCVA foundation certificate. In addition, a number of youthreach centres are pursuing options under the leaving cert applied programme. In the VEC sector in 1977, 29 per cent of youthreach trainees had some form of junior cycle qualification on entering the programme, but this was usually less than five grade Ds. The remainder had left school with no qualifications.

Twenty seven per cent of youthreach trainees are aged 15, 34 per cent are 16, 24 per cent are 17, and 15 per cent are 18 years or over.