asked the Minister for Education if, in view of the fact that £100,000 for voluntary youth organisations remains unallocated, he will consider releasing this sum (a) to finance projects for early school leavers (b) for an in-service scheme for training professional and voluntary youth leaders and (c) for the employment of full-time staff by voluntary youth organisations.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Voluntary Youth Organisations.
14.
I would refer the Deputy to my reply to Question No. 14 on 5th May, 1977, which indicated that there is not an unexpended balance of the magnitude suggested in the Deputy's question. Therefore (a), (b) and (c) of the question cannot arise.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary give me the total moneys unallocated this year or kept in reserve for what we will call emergency matters?
The situation is that £261,850 has been sanctioned for sports requirements and there is a further possible £2,500 to be allocated in the sports area, making a total of £264,360. On the youth side £187,300 is being sanctioned and a probable further £15,000 is to be sanctioned, making a total of £202,300. For exchange with other countries, which is common to both youth and sport, a sum of £10,200 is set aside. This gives a grand total of £476,850. That is set against the amount of the fund which in January, 1977, was £488,522.18. That leaves an estimated balance of £11,672.18. There are a number of other applications in the Department which if they were to be met would have to come out of the remaining £11,672.18. The Deputy will see that taking what has already been allocated and what probably will be allocated, there will be if anything a very small amount available at the end of the financial year to which the amount of money available at the beginning of the year referred.
I must accept the figures given by the Parliamentary Secretary, but there was something in the region of £95,000 unallocated at the end of the last financial year. Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware of the urgent need for organised projects to help the early school leavers? The urgent need for such projects has been stressed over the years. Would he consider making money available now to youth organisations and vocational education committees to enable them to embark on projects to help early school leavers?
I have already announced that an additional £250,000 is being made available by the Minister for Finance in pursuit of the provisions in the budget for employment-making projects for young people to be operated through youth and sports organisations. I have already announced the general terms of the scheme and a circular will issue in the near future to youth and sport organisations so that they may avail of this money. These organisations are in a good position to provide employment for young people.
I am glad the Parliamentary Secretary is aware of this very important service, but what exactly does "in the near future" mean? We have been hearing about this for the last four years.
A question, please.
The Parliamentary Secretary should indicate what he means by the "near future".
The money is there and a circular is going out to the organisations so that they can apply, and the sooner they apply the better.
Is the £100,000 promised to vocational education committees additional money?
Yes. If the Deputy had read the policy statement——
There is some confusion in the policy statement. That is why I asked the question.
The Parliamentary Secretary has acknowledged the need for the various programmes mentioned. If that is so—and it is obviously widely recognised and has been for some years—how can he justify its having taken until now for the Government to take any action considering youth organisations and sports organisations have been constantly calling for this for the last four years?
The situation is, quite simply, that the money was not available until the budget of this year in which the Minister for Finance made money available and the scheme is now being put into effect to cater for 1977 school leavers who may not immediately find employment. As a result of the economic growth of this country over the past 12 or 15 months, more finance is now available to the Government for this sort of project in the general youth field than was the case in 1974 or 1975.
The Parliamentary Secretary acknowledges that up to this year the programme that he has now outlined formed a very low priority in the Government policy and, indeed, did not exist and is that not a terrible acknowledgment of the Government's failure of the youth of our country?
We cannot debate this matter today.
I do not. I think the fact that the Government have published a comprehensive policy indicates the very high priority we give to this area of activity, a priority which obviously is not given by the Opposition because they have made no such policy statement.
(Interruptions.)
Question No. 15 please.