asked the Minister for Labour whether he is satisfied that the Youth Employment Agency has effective means at its disposal to influence the policies of other agencies; and whether a subcontracting relationship would make co-ordination more effective.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Youth Employment Agency.
15.
I am satisfied that the Youth Employment Agency have effective means at their disposal to influence the policies of other agencies involved in the area of employment, training and work experience for young people. The Youth Employment Agency Act, 1981, confers a statutory role on the agency for the co-ordination, development and integration of all schemes for the training and employment of young people. In practice the Youth Employment Agency influence the policies of other agencies through consultation with individual agencies and through submissions to the Minister for Labour regarding the annual allocation of the proceeds of the youth employment levy and proposals on programmes for the training and employment of young people. There have already been changes in a number of these programmes as a result of Youth Employment Agency recommendations.
As the agency were set up in 1982 their co-ordinating role is naturally still being developed and in fact one of the agency's priorities for 1984 is the strengthening of their co-ordinating function. The Government are fully committed to supporting the Youth Employment Agency and to ensuring their effectiveness in pursuing statutory functions.
As the agency in general look to existing manpower authorities, such as AnCO and the NMS, to implement programmes rather than themselves assuming an executive role, it could be said that a relationship similar to sub-contracting already exists between the agency and the other institutions involved. By largely freeing themselves from the demands and constraints of the day-to-day execution of programmes the agency are in a position to pursue actively their broader responsibility for the overall co-ordination, development and integration of youth employment and training schemes.
On a broader level, I may say that the Government are concerned about possible duplication and overlaps between the various agencies charged with responsibility for education and training. As a result the Minister of State at the Department of Labour was also assigned to the Department of Education in December 1983 and given additional responsibilities for the co-ordination of education and training activities. The Government subsequently decided that the Minister of State should, in conjunction with the Ministers for Labour and Education, prepare a number of agreed recommendations on issues arising as soon as possible. Already the Minister of State has met all the relevant organisations and has received written submissions from them. He hopes to be in a position to report to the Government in the near future.
Would the Minister not agree that the other semi-State bodies which are ultimately answerable to the Minister can, if they so wish, ignore the efforts of the YEA at co-ordination? Would he not agree that a formal sub-contracting arrangement whereby the YEA would specify the tasks to be done for which they would pay would be very different from the present system whereby the Youth Employment Agency in the case of AnCO make a contribution towards the cost of courses for training young persons under the age of 25?
One of the agency's priorities for 1984 is the strengthening of their co-ordinating function, which I think would meet the spirit of Deputy Bruton's supplementary question. The co-ordinating exercise which is being undertaken by his constituency colleague, the Minister of State at the Department of Labour, will strengthen the hand of the Government in ensuring that the wasteful duplication that perhaps occurred in the past can be eliminated to the benefit of young people.
Could we have an assurance from the Minister that the full youth employment levy will be used this year for the purpose for which it was intended or will it again be taken by the Exchequer?
That seems to be a separate question.
Could we have a commitment?
Would the Minister agree that the Youth Employment Agency in reviewing their co-ordination job do not have the power to force semi-State bodies to do anything? They may identify weaknesses but their ability to change them is questionable.
That is one of the reasons the co-ordination exercise is being undertaken. When the exercise is completed we will be in a position to respond to the points the Deputy is raising.
What does the Minister mean in saying that the Youth Employment Agency are to strengthen their co-ordination function? Would he enlarge on his comment that perhaps there was wasteful duplication in the past? Would he not agree that there is massive wastage in the duplication now taking place between the various agencies and that they are all falling down in trying to tackle the problem?
I said that the priority for the agency in 1984 would be to strengthen their co-ordination function.
What does that mean?
Literally what it states: to improve the co-ordination the YEA have had to date.
In what way?
In a variety of ways.
Could the Minister spell them out?
Perhaps the Deputy would allow me to reply to his question and respond to his concern. This is one of the reasons for the setting up by the Government of the co-ordinating group under the responsibility of the Minister of State. That report is almost finalised and discussions have taken place with all the bodies involved. We are hopeful that we will be in a position very soon to provide for a co-ordinated structure that will avoid some of the problems about which many Deputies have complained.
Would the Minister spell out exactly what those ways are? There is no evidence of them among the agencies, nor is there evidence of their being put before the Dáil, although they have been mentioned on a number of occasions. It is about time the Minister stopped being hazy and general and told us exactly what he was doing to end this duplication.
I have answered the Deputy's question. The co-ordinating of the various bodies, involving discussions on a democratic basis with such organisations, has taken place since the Minister of State, Deputy George Birmingham, was appointed in December. The report is being finalised and as soon as this is done we will be able to tell the Deputy what the Government decisions are.