asked the Minister for Labour if he will give a detailed breakdown of how the 1 per cent employment levy has been used since there is considerable speculation that despite the commitment of the then Minister in 1981 to devote the proceeds of the levy to the Youth Employment Agency, only 12.4 per cent has in fact reached its destination.
Written Answers. - Employment Levy.
329.
The breakdown of expenditure from the youth employment levy from its introduction in April 1982 up to 31 December 1983 is as follows:—
|
Millions |
||
|
1982 |
1983 |
|
|
£ |
£ |
|
|
Youth Employment Agency |
3.755 |
5.685 |
|
AnCO |
19.300 |
32.244 |
|
CERT Ltd. |
0.980 |
1.426 |
|
Department of the Environment: |
||
|
—Environment Works (Youth Employment) Scheme |
4.000 |
8.000 |
|
Department of Education: |
||
|
—Pre-employment and secretarial courses |
— |
14.990 |
|
Department of Labour: |
||
|
—Grant Scheme for Youth Employment (transferred from Department of Education in 1983) |
2.300 |
2.165 |
|
—Work Experience Programme |
4.109 |
6.971 |
|
—Employment Incentive Scheme (youth element) |
— |
4.309 |
|
TOTAL |
34.444 |
75.790 |
As regards the allocation of the proceeds of the levy, the present practice corresponds with the intentions my predecessor stated when introducing the Second Stage of the Youth Employment Agency Bill in Dáil Éireann in November 1981. My predecessor indicated that the funds would be used for the employment and training of young people and this is being done. The Youth Employment Agency advises me on the schemes to be assisted and the level of assistance. The money, however, goes direct to the large programme sponsors rather than through the agency's grant-in-aid. My predecessor also indicated that the proceeds of the levy would be used to finance both existing and new schemes — the alternative of using levy proceeds to finance only additions to existing schemes and new schemes was specifically ruled out.