asked the Minister for Education in relation to the proposed Youthreach programmes (a) the qualifications of the teachers-instructors employed to carry out the course (b) the systems, if any, which will be put in place to monitor the progress of the courses and (c) the mechanism which is proposed to ensure that students will not be dropping out of school to attend these courses.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Youthreach Programmes.
58.
It is not intended to make any change in the regulations governing the employment of teachers in the context of Youthreach. Teachers on Youthreach will be employed by VECs subject to the normal conditions.
I propose to seek regular reports from the inspectorate on the progress of the scheme. Moreover, since Youthreach is a joint programme with the Department of Labour, I have agreed with the Minister for Labour that a senior representative of the VEC and of FAS should co-operate in the joint overall management of the programme at each local level.
In relation to staffing and the teaching force under these new programmes, is it proposed to have in-service training in advance of the introduction of the programmes? Can the Minister tell us what the mix will be between people drawn from former schools and perhaps people drawn from industry? What kind of mix will go to make up the staff to look after these new programmes when they are put in place?
As I have said, the basic qualifications appropriate for employment by the education or training provided under the programme will be required. To answer the Deputy's question in regard to in-service training courses, there would be a need for the teachers taking part in these Youthreach programmes to have access to in-service training courses. The areas which are to be included in the scheme due to begin in January were chosen because they wanted to participate in the scheme. They put their names forward and they are pleased to participate in the scheme. They want to participate because they see there is a need for this scheme. I feel it is a very worthy initiative and will have an attraction for young people who through no fault of the existing system have found that regular school holds no attraction for them. The Deputy also asked about in-service training courses and the mix between education and industry——
Between industry and education.
The first year will comprise a foundation course and the second will comprise a development course; the mix will be between what might be seen as regular school and training initiatives. All of this will be done in a way which we hope will attract young people. It is my hope as an added bonus that young people who for one reason or another have dropped out of regular school will be motivated to come back to further their formal schooling.
Question No. 59 in the name of Deputy George Birmingham.
A Cheann Comhairle——
I am sorry, Deputy Quill, but I want to deal with the other two questions in the five minutes remaining.
A very brief supplementary.
A very brief question, Deputy, and please co-operate with the Chair.
This relates to the most important part of my question. In the light of the experience we have of large numbers of young people drifting away from school to attend FÁS courses because of the allowance which is paid to young people taking part in such courses——
This relates to another matter altogether.
It relates to the third part of my question. Can the Minister tell me what new procedures she plans to put in place to ensure that young people will not be lured out of school to attend these Youthreach programmes because of the allowance which will be paid?
The Deputy is encroaching on the responsibility of another Minister.
It is a very fair question and with respect, a Cheann Comhairle, it does have a bearing on this matter. In the first place the participants in any Youthreach programme will have to be six months out of school and the principal of the school which he or she attended will have to vouch for the fact, both of us and the Department of Labour, that the young student has dropped out of school and is six months out of school. In relation to the question which the Deputy raised, that is one constraint. Secondly, I hope that many of those who will participate in these programmes will be attracted back into the school system and, if not, they will receive skills which will increase their confidence and faith, in themselves, in the future and in what they can achieve through these programmes which will be very carefully worked out, taking into account good economic standards as well as good training standards.