The significant contribution that youth organisations make towards improving the lot of young disadvantaged people merits the allocation of specific resources. Many young people are unable to participate fully in society. The symptoms of disadvantage include being away from home, in trouble with the authorities and non-attendance or poor achievement at school.
In 1973 it was estimated that 16 per cent of all children under the age of 14 lived in households with less than half the average income and that by 1987 that figure had increased to 26 per cent. In the European Union the percentage of young people unemployed has remained at twice the level of all those unemployed. We still have a major unemployment problem. A recent opinion poll identified unemployment as the main cause of concern after crime. The perceived boom in the economy is of little consolation to the 262,500 people unemployed. Growth in the economy must be translated into jobs, particularly for those who are long-term unemployed. There are large numbers of young people among the unemployed. Some 61,700 people between the ages of 18 and 25 are signing on the live register. Half the long-term unemployed do not have any formal qualifications. It is obvious that the educationally disadvantaged young person is most at risk of becoming unemployed and being caught in long-term unemployment. The cycle of poverty and unemployment will continue when the majority of those who are educationally disadvantaged come from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The serious problems that arise from educational disadvantage are obvious when one considers that 25,000 young people leaving school each year could be classified as educationally disadvantaged, 13,000 of whom could be classified as severely educationally disadvantaged. They deserve better. This serious cycle of disadvantage needs to be addressed.
Drug misuse and unemployment are serious social problems and affect young people disproportionately. Parents from all areas express to public representatives their concern about children falling into the grip of drugs. A recently published Fianna Fáil policy document represents our determination to implement a truly integrated drugs and drug-related crime policy rather than the sporadic and unrelated drugs initiatives which have been a feature of recent Government policy. Drugs cause horrific human misery in every segment of our society.
The lives of those addicted to drugs are out of control and, unfortunately, all too often end in the ultimate tragedy. The evidence indicates that communities suffering multiple disadvantage, such as very high unemployment and low educational attainments, have also had the highest concentrations of drug addiction and the attendant drug dealing and crime problems. These communities are located primarily in Dublin, but there are communities in all cities and most urban areas which have suffered disproportionately from the ravages of drugs. The official services have failed those communities where local parents and community organisations have tried to hold the line against the drugs onslaught.
Our party will table a number of amendments on Committee Stage. Section 4 refers to the procedure to be followed by an education board in relation to the invitation of proposals from voluntary youth work organisations before the board may provide that programme or service. The board appears to be given absolute discretion in the delivery of the service and I note the board is required to review this decision. That weakens the safeguard which the section appears to offer voluntary organisations.
On the withdrawal or reduction of financial assistance, the education board appears to be the judge and jury in its own case. Surely there must be provision for some independent assessment. The whole tendering procedure in relation to the invitation of proposals for the operation of youth services is not clear. Section 4(8) gives further power to the education board, in that it can decide whether the proposals made by the voluntary organisations are suitable. The board would have a vested interest in a judgement, in that it could take on the work if it deems unsuitable the proposals submitted by the youth organisations. It would appear that once again the education board is the judge and jury in its own case. I hope on Committee Stage the Minister will amend the Bill or give some clear indication that will not be the case if education boards are established.
Section 10 provides for the establishment of the National Youth Work Advisory Committee. The establishment of this committee is welcome but the explanatory memorandum on section 11 contains a declaration of intent that "the number of nominees of the prescribed body representing voluntary youth work organisations will be about equal to the combined number of nominees of other Ministers and FÁS". However, it is obvious an intention will not have any force in law and we will need clarification on this matter. It appears from section 11(3)(a) that in theory at least only one representative of the voluntary youth organisations need be appointed. This does not make sense in the context of the composition of the committee.
Section 15 prescribes the structure and electoral process of voluntary youth councils. That represents "over the top" interference in the internal affairs of voluntary youth organisations which prevents them by law from appointing employees to the voluntary youth council.
Section 17 provides for the establishment of youth work committees. Will the Minister of State indicate if employees of youth organisations can be members of youth work committees, even though they are excluded from membership of the voluntary youth council? Sections 17 and 18 are not the major step forward in the area of empowering the volunteers that has been suggested.
Section 20 provides for the withdrawal or reduction of a grant. Is there a need for an independent appeals procedure in this regard? It is not clear where the Department's funding obligation will end and that of the education boards will begin.
Section 22 and 23 provide for the prescribing by the Minister of voluntary youth work organisations and this would appear to be a step in the right direction, particularly in regard to the need to establish a general register of youth work organisations. There is further room for improvement in the provision of safeguards against individuals, who are clearly unsuitable for youth work, establishing their own services.
