Vol. 475 No. 5
21 Ms Keogh asked the Minister for Education if the interdepartmental working group established in response to the recommendations of the NESF to help tackle the problem of early school leavers and youth unemployment has reported; the action, if any, which has been taken on foot of such a report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5173/97]
23 Mr. B. Smith asked the Minister for Education the proposals, if any, she has to expand the places on the Youthreach and VTOS programmes as agreed in Partnership 2000; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5217/97]
142 Ms Keogh asked the Minister for Education if the interdepartmental working group established in response to the recommendations of the NESF to help tackle the problem of early school leavers and youth unemployment has reported; the action, if any, which has been taken on foot of such a report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5398/97]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 21, 23 and 142 together.
The recent report from the National Economic and Social Forum of "Early School Leavers and Youth Unemployment” focuses on measures designed to tackle early school leaving and the situation of those who have left early without qualifications. The report includes recommendations relating to the expansion of the Youthreach and VTOS programmes.
Following submission to Government of the NESF report, the Government decided to establish an interdepartmental working group to examine the feasibility, implications and costs of implementing the forum's recommendations; to develop a clear framework with explicit targets to deal with the needs of existing school leavers and to reduce the level of early school leaving and to clearly identify the responsibility and accountability of schools, education authorities and other Departments and agencies for the achievement of the targets.
The group has been established and is representative of the Departments of Social Welfare, Enterprise and Employment, Taoiseach, Justice, Health, Finance, Marine, office of the Tánaiste and FÁS. It is being chaired by the Department of Education. The group has commenced its task and is due to make an interim report to Government by 31 March 1997 and a final report by 31 May 1997.
Partnership 2000 provides that priority will be given to expanding the places on the Youthreach and VTOS programmes. With regard to Youthreach, 2,000 places are provided at present in the vocational education committee sector and an expansion of 450 extra places is under way. Approximately 1,500 places are provided by FÁS. There are currently 5,000 approved places on the VTOS programme. The question of additional places on the Youthreach and VTOS programmes is one of the issues being considered by the interdepartmental working group in the context of its examination of the NESF report.
