Denis Naughten
Question:6 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Education and Science the discussions, if any, he has had with the Youth Work Advisory Committee; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7644/98]
Priority Questions. - National Youth Work Advisory Committee.
I have recently had some communication from the National Youth Work Advisory Committee. As a result, I met yesterday members of the committee who were in the Department for a meeting of the committee. I shall be happy to meet the committee again in the future whenever necessary. My Department is represented on the committee and provides secretarial support to its work.
I am glad the Minister of State has eventually met the advisory committee. Why did it take him nine months since his appointment to meet the committee? Why has it taken nearly eight months since this Government came into office for the committee to meet for the first time? This committee has a vital role to play in the development of youth policy and the spending of funds within the Department of Education and Science, yet it has not been given a role since the Government came into office.
The Deputy appears to misunderstand the terms of the legislation introduced by his Government and which established the youth work advisory committee. This is not the first but the third time the committee has met. The inaugural meeting took place on 24 June.
The next meeting did not take place for another eight months.
If the Deputy had even an elementary knowledge of the legislation introduced by my predecessor he would be aware that the committee is specifically constituted to advise, guide and make recommendations to the Minister of State at the Department of Education and Science with responsibility for Youth Affairs in relation to the operation of youth work. It is a matter for the committee to initiate any meetings it may want with the relevant Minister of State. I received no request by the committee for a meeting until 13 February when I received a letter from the chairman requesting me to meet it. I immediately acceded and met the committee yesterday. The committee is welcome to meet me at any time.
Under the terms of the legislation introduced by the previous Government it is envisaged the committee will advise the Minister in the context of the operation of the legislation. However, the legislation is not in operation because the previous Government made a mess of it. The operation of the legislation was predicated on the existence of bodies — the regional education boards — which were not in place at the time it was passed, were not put in place and will now never be put in place. The legislation must be changed to replace these bodies and the Government has decided they will be replaced by the vocational education committees. It would have required a simple amendment to replace the term "regional education board" with "vocational education committee" in the legislation. However, upon examination I saw glaring deficiencies in the Act and I, therefore, took the opportunity to undertake a fundamental review of the legislation, which is almost completed.
Given this, I have taken the view that the committee considered it would not have a proactive role until the legislation becomes effectively operable. That is why I did not hear from the committee. It decided to contact me on 13 February requesting a meeting which took place yesterday. When I met the committee yesterday it recognised its role is unclear until the new legislation is introduced. However, I told the committee that I would be delighted to take on board any advice, suggestions or recommendations it offers. I also advised it could make submissions in writing and that I would welcome any further meetings. I hope the legislation will be published shortly. If the committee's submissions are constructive I will be delighted to take them on board.
Does the Minister of State not consider that he should have been more proactive with the committee and that he should have arranged a meeting when it did not initiate one? Will he agree that it was impossible for the committee to ask for such a meeting when it had not held one for over eight months? Does he agree that the committee should have been involved in the submission of the Estimates for the budget and that there should have been discussions between the Minister and the committee prior to such a submission?
The committee can arrange its own meetings. It is not for me to arrange meetings with it. Following its meetings and deliberations it can then advise me, in writing or through a meeting. I am open to meeting the committee at any time. I have no role in convening a meeting of the committee. It would be improper and counter not only to the spirit but to the letter of the legislation for me to insist on the committee, which was established to advise me, holding meetings. That is a matter for the committee under its independent chairman, who was appointed by my predecessor. The answer to the first part of the Deputy's question is no.
In so far as making recommendations in connection with youth work, nothing or nobody stopped the committee from holding meetings as often as it wished to make whatever submissions it liked. I am always open to receive submissions from the committee if it wishes to make them, which it can do in writing or orally to me. The legislation makes it clear that it is for the committee to convene its own meetings and arrange its own business. It is not up to me to dictate to the committee or to order it to meet. It decided it wanted to meet me yesterday. I immediately acceded and was glad to meet it. We had a constructive chat.