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Seanad Éireann debate -
Thursday, 28 Feb 2013

Vol. 221 No. 9

Adjournment Matters

Equal Opportunities Employment

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Costello, to the House.

I welcome the Minister of State to the House. This time last year Fianna Fáil published the Employment Equality (Amendment) Bill 2012, which was designed to end the situation whereby under Irish law religious-run institutions may be able to discriminate against employees, or potential employees, solely on the grounds of their being lesbian, gay, bisexual, an unmarried mother, separated, divorced or cohabiting outside marriage.

The Minister of State will be aware that the possibility of such discrimination is a source of real fear and unhappiness for LGBT people in particular, such as teachers and doctors and other staff, many of whom feel the need to hide something as important as their sexual orientation from their colleagues and go to work every day pretending to be somebody they are not.

When I published the Bill last year, I immediately wrote to the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Shatter, as the Minister directly responsible, and the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Quinn, from an education perspective expressing my desire that we would be able to work on this issue on an all-party basis and agree to make progress on it. I also made clear to both Ministers in my initial correspondence and in follow-up contact with them and their advisers that I would accept any amendments which they or their legal advisers felt were necessary to improve the text that would deliver on the principle of the Bill and end the discrimination. Therefore, I was deeply disappointed when the Government chose to oppose the Bill on Second Stage in the Seanad. The reason I was disappointed was that so many teachers in particular had written very personal e-mails to me about what they had gone through and their desire to have section 37(1) of the Employment Equality Act 1998 amended prior to the commencement of the next school year which was last September. Unfortunately not only was that opportunity missed but now at the end of February, I and many people are wondering if this opportunity will be taken before the next school year which is next September.

In rejecting the Fianna Fáil Bill last year, the Minister, Deputy Shatter, gave a number of commitments to this House. He stated that the Government accepted the principle of the Bill and would bring forward its own proposals early in the new year. He made this contingent on the finalisation of the amalgamation of the Human Rights Commission and Equality Authority and said that the new body would be tasked with developing proposals for Government to amend section 37(1). Ten months on from the debate on that Bill in this House which the Government voted down, not only have proposals not been brought forward, but the body to be tasked with developing the proposals has not even been set up. I am tabling this matter for discussion as I am seeking information on what the Government plans to do. Is it still intended to wait until the new human rights and equality commission is in place before commencing work in this area? Is there any hope section 37(1) of the Employment Equality Act 1998 will be amended prior to the commencement of the next school year?

I thank Senator Power for tabling this motion and apologise for the absence of the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Shatter. I acknowledge the legislation put forward by Senator Power last year and thank her for her continued interest in this particular matter.

On behalf of the Minister, I wish to restate the commitment given by him, with the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Quinn, to strengthen the statutory protection for equality in this area. The Government has undertaken in its programme for Government to ensure that people of non-faith or minority religious backgrounds and publicly identified LGBT people would not be deterred from training or taking up employment as teachers in the State.

The Minister, Deputy Shatter, has previously expressed concern about the potential impact of section 37 of the Employment Equality Act on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender, LGBT, persons. This section is designed to allow schools and other institutions to maintain their religious ethos. It was examined by the Supreme Court in 1996, when the Employment Equality Bill 1996 was referred to it under Article 26 of the Constitution. The Supreme Court found that it is a reasonable balancing in legislation of the different rights involved, including chiefly the right to earn a living and the rights to freedom of religion and association.
The Minister, Deputy Shatter, is concerned, however, that in practice the balance is not a fair one and that this provision can operate in a way that is unfair to LGBT persons. In this House last May, the Minister welcomed the dialogue initiated by Senator Power and set out his preliminary ideas on how reform might be approached, having regard to advice that this provision of the Employment Equality Acts touches on issues of profound constitutional sensitivity and importance.
The competing rights in this area include freedom of religion, freedom of assembly, right to privacy and to earn a living, freedom of expression and conscience, and the right to freedom from harassment and discrimination. The constitutional obligation on the State to vindicate the personal rights of citizens is also important. As a pluralist constitutional democracy, it is incumbent on the Legislature to respect and promote both equality of treatment and tolerance of and respect for religious differences. For these reasons, the Minister considered that an extensive consultative process and formal assessment of the options should be undertaken. It remains, therefore, his intention to ask the new Irish human rights and equality commissioners to examine the issue as a priority. The commission will be invited to report on views and recommendations to the two Ministers centrally concerned, the Minister for Education and Skills and the Minister for Justice and Equality, as well as to the House. The Minister, Deputy Shatter, wishes to stress his commitment, once this necessary consultation process is completed, to bringing forward Government proposals for any necessary anti-discrimination amendment to this provision.
To address the core of this issue, the following progress has been made to date. Senators will be aware of the publication on 5 June 2012 of the general scheme of a Bill to replace the Equality Authority and the Human Rights Commission with a new Irish human rights equality commission. Drafting of the Irish human rights and equality Bill is at an advanced stage and the Minister expects to be in a position to bring this to the Cabinet in the near future.
At the same time, practical preparations to establish the new Irish human rights and equality commission have also advanced. As Senators will be aware, an independent selection process relating to the membership of the new commission is under way. The intention is that the successful applicants will be appointed to the two existing bodies, the Equality Authority and the Human Rights Commission, pending enactment of the necessary legislation to effect the merger. I should also mention that it is intended that the successful applicants will meet with the Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality. The selection process and timetable are matters for the independent selection panel but the Minister hopes to be in a position to make a further announcement on the appointment of the new commission soon. This is a necessary preparatory step to the consultation envisaged by the Minister and one which he had hoped to be able to conclude by now. He acknowledges that there may be frustration in some quarters anxious for a swift amendment to section 37. However, he cautions against action without having given all interested parties the opportunity to contribute to the debate and fully consider all the options open to us. The new commission will be uniquely placed to carry out such a consultation.
The Minister, Deputy Shatter, considers it is worth noting the priority that the Government has given over the past year to events highlighting issues affecting LGBT persons, both nationally and on the EU stage. These events have included the first EU Presidency side-event on LGBT issues since 2004, which focused on homophobic and transphobic bullying. He feels strongly that this is important groundwork in preparing for informed public debate on these issues in the forthcoming consultation and for future discussions in this House.

I acknowledge that the Minister of State is responding to the issue on behalf of the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Shatter, who is not here today. I am disappointed to learn that developing proposals in the area is still contingent on the merger of the equality bodies, as that is proceeding at such a slow pace. The word "shortly" has been used many times in the past year regarding the equality bodies, although I appreciate this is not a matter for which the Minister of State has direct responsibility.

When we discussed the matter last year I indicated that I did not understand in the first place why we needed to have public consultation on the issue. I accept there is absolutely a requirement from a legal perspective to be careful about the wording, particularly given the constitutional provisions in the area and the competing concerns regarding the constitutional provisions on equality on one hand and freedom of religion on the other. I accept the legal wording must be worked out.

I do not accept the need to consult on the principle of the matter. Either we accept that it is wrong to discriminate against people purely on the basis of their sexual orientation or we do not. If religious institutions could discriminate against somebody on the basis of colour or any other intrinsic quality, we would not ask them for their opinion on whether we should change the legislation, we would just accept it is wrong and move on with the change. I am unhappy that the process is still contingent on public consultation.

I ask the Minister of State to bring up the issue again with the Minister and ask that he brings more urgency to it. It is important. There is another school year coming and the Minister of State correctly commented on the progress made in other areas, such as bullying. I welcome that and the work done by the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Quinn, in particular, in prioritising the tackling of homophobic bullying. However, the reality is the reason so many young people are unhappy is because they are robbed of role models or teachers who cannot be free to be themselves. That leads to isolation, unhappiness, depression and, ultimately, suicide in our young people. It is great that we are working to tackle bullying but we must change the whole climate in which young teenagers are brought up if we are to tackle the issue.

I ask the Minister of State to revert to the Minister with these concerns and ask him to bring a greater sense of urgency to the issue.

The two bodies are being merged. As the Minister has indicated, the Irish human rights and equality commission Bill is close to being brought to the Cabinet and published. The Minister is already in the process of establishing the Irish human rights and equality commission, and it will be set up by merging the two existing bodies, pending the introduction of the legislation.

With regard to consultation, the Supreme Court found that the existing legislation was constitutional, so arguments can be made on both sides. The Minister for Social Protection is working on the draft heads of a gender recognition Bill, which will also be fairly complex. The gender recognition advisory group report was published in July 2011 and it is expected that the heads of the Bill will be brought shortly to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Social Protection and Education.

Prison Accommodation Provision

Is Senator Kelly giving some of his time to Senator Leyden?

I do not mind. I can give him one minute. I welcome the Minister of State to the House. This matter is of great concern to all Oireachtas Members in County Roscommon. Harristown House is a unit adjacent to the prison in Castlerea. Historically, this was an open unit used to deal with prisoners with problems from drug misuse. When St. Patrick's Hospital in Castlerea closed, the people in the area believed that the prison in the area would benefit the town, as there would be many prison officers and staff employed, with many wage packets floating around. The reality is that the prisoners came but the prison officers did not look to reside in Castlerea, with the majority residing 20 or 30 miles away. There was no great contribution to the economy in Castlerea.

It is with great regret that people see that this unit is bringing no benefit to the people, and it has brought a certain level of criminality to the town. It may be proposed that "lifers", or those people with life sentences, mainly for murder, coming to the end of their sentences may be housed in this new unit at Harristown House.

This is coupled with fewer Garda numbers on the beat and the closure of Garda stations around the county. To this degree, many elderly people are frightened. I seek assurance from the Minister for Justice and Equality that so-called lifers will not be housed in the open unit. Will the Minister of State ask the Minister for these assurances on my behalf and that of the people of Castlerea?

I thank the Minister of State for coming here. It is nice to see him and Ms Emer Costello, MEP, here together. She has acquitted herself very well and was a tour de force.

I thank Senator Kelly for sharing his time with me and allowing me one minute. There should be consultation with Oireachtas Members and the people of Castlerea with regard to the matter. It was brought to my attention by Councillor Paschal Fitzmaurice, a local councillor in Castlerea. As I said this morning, a meeting will be held at Tully's Hotel, Castlerea, to discuss the matter. People are genuinely concerned about the matter and fear the unknown. About a year ago, two Romanians escaped from Castlerea Prison. There was no closed circuit television so nobody knows how they got out of the main prison.

People are deeply concerned about Harristown House and would prefer if it was used for rehabilitation again. Mr. Danny Burke, a former councillor, was chairman of the committee when Harristown House was a successful rehabilitation unit. The people of Castlerea would be very supportive of the venue being restored to its former use, particularly as it led to jobs and activity in the area. People are afraid of the unknown because they would not be able to control who resides in Harristown House.

I do not have to pay €5 to the Cathaoirleach because I bet that the Minister for Justice and Equality would not come to the House today. However, I respect the position of Minister of State because I was one myself and acted on behalf of other Ministers. I support Senator Kelly's view and request that the Minister for Justice and Equality meets public and community representatives before the unit opens. I presume, following tonight's public meeting in Castlerea, that there will be a call for the Minister to meet the community and Oireachtas Members to discuss the issue before the venue is occupied by so-called lifers or prisoners finishing their sentences.

I thank both Senators for their contributions. I thank Senator Kelly for tabling the motion and Senator Leyden for his contribution. I shall answer on behalf of the Minister and he asked me to apologise for him.

The Minister wishes to respond directly to Senator Kelly's question as to whether life sentence prisoners will be housed at Harristown House. The Minister's officials are still considering options for the optimal use of the facility but I am advised that the facility will not be restricted to housing prisoners in that category.

By way of background, Harristown House is a 22-room, two storey house constructed circa 1920. The house is located directly adjacent to Castlerea Prison and, until recently, was used by the Probation Service to house people in its care. At that time people, usually with drug related problems, were dealt with by the Probation Service at the house. The house was unoccupied and unused for approximately four years and was in a state of considerable disrepair following water damage incurred as a result of the very harsh winter of 2010-11.

I am sure that Senators Kelly and Leyden will agree that in the current economic climate, it is undesirable for State-owned property to be left unoccupied and unused in circumstances where a potential or possible use for that property has been identified. In that regard, following an examination, it was considered that the property was suitable for refurbishment in order that it could be used as a low security accommodation unit for 15 to 18 prisoners who could be located there as part of a scheme to encourage good behaviour and trustworthiness among prisoners as part of their sentence management. Prisoners in Harristown House will be employed in the orchard, the grounds and local community projects under the control of the industrial manager.

Obviously, the length of time spent there would depend on a number of factors, including time already served and time left to serve. In that regard, while no decision has yet been made as to the category of prisoner, by reference to sentence length, nature of offence and so on, to be housed there, I can assure the Senator that the normal considerations in relation to risk assessment will apply before any prisoner is transferred to the house. In the day-to-day management of the prison system, these risk assessments are made on a regular basis by the Minister's officials in the Irish Prison Service. For example, they consider the suitability of the transfer of prisoners from closed prisons and institutions to open prisons and lower security facilities.

When considering the suitability of prisoners for transfer to lower security institutions, the Minister's officials consider a number of factors, including the safety of the public, specifically flight risk, the nature and gravity of the offence, and the length of sentence served and remaining. Therefore, while I cannot at this stage inform the Senator as to the precise type of prisoner to be housed at Harristown House, I can advise that the usual stringent eligibility criteria, which apply to other prisoners being moved to lower security prisons and institutions, will be considered and assessed. Open centres and lower level security settings are vital tools in the reintegration and rehabilitation of prisoners. They encourage an ethos of independent living and offer a transition between custody and community-family life. When the refurbishment works at Harristown House are completed and the house is ready for occupation, it will provide an additional and valuable resource to the Irish Prison Service in managing the transition from prison life to open living in the community. The Minister is sure that the Senators will appreciate the benefits of this addition to the prison estate. I thank Senator Kelly for raising the matter and tabling the motion.

I thank the Minister of State. Thankfully, I was privy to the response and read it earlier because Deputy Denis Naughten tabled the matter in the Dáil under Topical Issues yesterday. He received exactly the same response except this morning my title of Senator was substituted for Deputy. I shall quote one line from the response given to the Deputy: "While several options remain under consideration for the optimal use of the facility, I can say that I am advised that the facility will not be restricted to housing prisoners in that category." The start of the sentence led me to believe that the Minister was suggesting that he was not going to put so-called lifers into the facility, but that is not true. It also suggests that so-called lifers will be housed there and we do not know who else. Towards the end of the response yesterday, the Minister said that "the safety of the public" will be a serious consideration. If that is the case, then I agree with Senator Leyden's call to organise for a deputation of Oireachtas Members for Roscommon to meet the Minister. I would appreciate it if the Minister of State, Deputy Costello, could organise the deputation on our behalf.

I thank the Senator for his remarks. It seems to me that the Minister is really saying that there is no category excluded per se but that the usual eligibility criteria, in terms of assessment, management and care, will be employed. It is so that prisoners are not released cold into the community without some temporary release being availed of. The measure prepares prisoners for release and safeguards the public.

With regard to the request for the Minister to meet a delegation to discuss a concern about so-called lifers, I shall speak to the Minister about it. I shall forward the request and then I will contact the Senators.

Is the Minister of State finished?

I am finished.

Public Transport Provision

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Perry.

I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I thank him for taking the Adjournment matter which is my request that the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport intervene with the National Transport Authority to save bus route 418, which is being discontinued and which operates between Athenry and Galway via Derrydonnell and Oranmore, County Galway. The Minister of State might not be aware that the early morning bus route is an essential service for people who live in and around the Athenry area, particularly for connectivity purposes. My argument for it has been further bolstered given the number of people who have contacted my office and me in recent times following the threat to abolish the route.

I have been in contact with a number of people, including those working in Oranmore and Galway city and the parents of children attending schools in the city and Salthill, who are dependent on the service. These are places a train service cannot reach. On foot of the calls and e-mails, I got in contact with the National Transport Authority and outlined the position. The response I received is that there is insufficient demand for the service. With all due respect to the authority, this is disingenuous given that Athenry is a sizeable commuter town of Galway city. When I was in school in Salthill, the bus was packed every morning at a time when Athenry had a population of 1,000 people. Now, it has 5,000 people and I would hate to think the decision is made in an attempt to force people onto the train in Athenry arising from the significant losses Irish Rail made in the past year. In all circumstances, I ask that the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport intervene in the situation so that this essential and invaluable service is retained for the people of Athenry and its hinterland. While everyone acknowledges we are in recessionary times and that some cutbacks must be made, the decision to deprive a town of a bus route that services 5,000 people and departs at 7.30 a.m. to bring people to work and to school, with its important strategic value in terms of further development, is perplexing. I ask that the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport sees the value of the route to the Athenry community and acts accordingly.

I thank Senator Higgins for raising this important issue. I am taking this Adjournment debate on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Leo Varadkar.

The Minister has no role in the bus routes operated by Bus Éireann. The provision of bus services and the routes they take are operational matters for the company in conjunction with the National Transport Authority. Bus Éireann operates a mix of services. Some of these services are commercial services in which it competes on the open market with private operators. It also operates public service obligation, PSO, services. The PSO payment is made to the company to carry out important and necessary bus services that otherwise would not be viable. The Minister recognises there must be a focus on and realistic assessment of the scope and level of PSO contracted services in the years ahead in line with key public transport priorities.

The Minister has made inquiries with the National Transport Authority and it has confirmed that the withdrawal of Bus Eireann's PSO route 418 between Athenry and Galway has been approved by the authority. The approval follows a number of changes to the network of public transport services in the Galway area including the extension of Galway city route 410 to serve Oranmore, the increase in rail services from Athenry to Galway and the licensing of additional bus services between Athenry and Galway to Farrell Travel trading as Buslink. The Minister understands the NTA view that these services adequately meet the demand for travel and between Athenry and Galway and Oranmore and Galway. Oranmore is also well served by Bus Éireann commercial routes 20 and 51 and by Citylink's commercial route between Galway and Dublin City and the airport. The NTA also pointed out that the numbers of passengers travelling between Athenry is insufficient to justify the continuation of route 418.

Regarding the response, it is all very well saying the extension of the route to serve Oranmore is satisfactory and is the reason another route should be abolished. That does not address the issue for the people living west of Athenry in Mulpit, Derrydonnell and the area east of Oranmore. What will commuters and those attending schools in Galway city do?

Regarding the increase in rail services between Athenry, the bus route goes as far as Salthill every morning. What about the people reliant on the service going as far as Salthill? If one has to go west of Galway city, the train does not go that far.

Regarding the point about Farrell Travel, the company does not operate a service at 7.30 a.m. and does not have an intention to do so. This leaves me at a loss because it is a necessary service and it is regrettable the decision has been made.

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport is carrying out an evaluation of all of the PSO routes in respect of commercial viability. I am sure Senator Higgins has already embarked on engagement with the Bus Éireann manager in the area and discussed the viability of alternative routes. The extension of the Galway route, the additional rail services and the licensing of bus additional services may not be at the time to which Senator Higgins referred, 7.30 a.m., but perhaps she can talk to a private operator in the area, such as Buslink, that may consider taking up the route being withdrawn. I have no doubt a private operator, such as Farrell Travel, may be interested in it if it is as viable as Senator Higgins suggests.

At the moment there is no service at 7.30 a.m. I ask that the Minister of State conveys my comment on the bus route to the Minister and asks him to organise a delegation from Athenry, Derrydonnell and Mulpit to attend the offices of the National Transport Authority and see if we can make progress on the matter.

The arranging of delegations is entirely at the behest of Senator Higgins's office and is not the Minister's job. The Minister has clearly specified what he can do and I would strongly recommend examining it from a business sense. If the viability is so assured, and given that the Minister has said he has no direct responsibility for Bus Éireann, I strongly suggest the Senator speaks to private operators in the area.

Youth Services Provision

I welcome the Minister to the House and thank him for taking this motion. The debate is timely given the publication earlier this week of EUROSTAT data on poverty and social exclusion and the recent circular about funding from the Department of Children and Youth Affairs to youth organisations. Irish children and working age adults are more at risk of poverty or social exclusion than any other children in western Europe according to EUROSTAT data released earlier this week. The figures suggest Irish children are more likely to face social exclusion and financial poverty than their counterparts in 22 of the other 26 member states. Some 38% of Irish under-18s are most at risk of one of three forms of poverty are social exclusion: living in households with disposable income of less than 60% of the national median, being unable to pay bills on time, or living in households where adults have paid work for less than 20% of their available time.

We all agree youth services are a vital part of community development across the State but cuts of 10% to the baseline funding for 2012 in respect of the schemes, the youth services grant scheme, the special projects for youth, young people's facilities and services funds rounds 1 and 2, youth information centres and local drugs task force projects will jeopardise front-line support for young people, especially those hit hardest by the recession and by disadvantage. At a time when 38% of Irish under-18s are most at risk of one of three forms of poverty and social exclusion, and with one in five people not in education, employment or training, the State should be investing more in the services to ensure the young people are supported.

On the day when EU Ministers are discussing and agreeing upon the youth guarantee and trying to ensure no young person sinks into unemployment or long-term unemployment, Ireland is cutting the funding for youth services to deal with these very groups of people. As holders of the EU Presidency, should we not be leading by example and empowering and equipping organisations and services at the forefront of dealing with these young people and making sure they have the resources they need? Should we not be showing we are serious about young people? This is important given the EUROSTAT figures published recently. At the IBEC conference, Mr. Barroso said:

Here in Ireland, and all around Europe, too many young people are asking if they will ever find a job or have the same quality of life as their parents. We need to give these young people a better prospect. That is why, in the recent budget negotiations, the Commission fought to secure a large increase in funding for youth.

How will the Irish Government ensure that, coming out of the proposals from the EU Ministers meeting, we will match the resources and make sure the increase in funding is targeted at youth and important groups that have already been dealt a 10% cut from last year? Eurofound revealed that the economic loss to society of not integrating young jobseekers throughout the EU is estimated at €153 billion. The economic cost to countries like Ireland is estimated to be in the region of 2% of GDP so the cost of youth unemployment could be at €3.16 billion. Youth organisations have a critical role to play in that reintegration and cutting their funding is short-sighted when we consider growth, stability and jobs, which are the focus of the Presidency.

The recent Indecon economic assessment for the National Youth Council of Ireland proved youth work is value for money, with every €1 invested by the State in youth work saving €2.20 in the long run. That makes the cuts to these youth services even more difficult to understand, especially when those services are themselves stretched to the limit and cannot sustain any further cuts.

I am taking this Adjournment debate on behalf of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy Fitzgerald, and I welcome this opportunity to address this issue and thank the Senator for raising it.

Some €53.173 million is being provided in 2013 by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs to support the delivery of a range of youth work programmes and youth services for all young people, including those from disadvantaged communities, by the voluntary youth work sector. The focus of this financial support in 2013, as in previous years, is on the consolidation of existing youth work provision and on the safeguarding, as far as possible, of front-line programmes, services and jobs, particularly in disadvantaged communities.

This funding is delivered through a number of schemes including the youth service grant scheme, special projects for youth, youth information centres, young peoples' facilities and services fund, local drugs task force and local youth club grant scheme. Youth work programmes and youth services are delivered to some 400,000 young people by over 1,400 youth work personnel, who in turn support a large volunteer base of some 40,000 people.

As part of our efforts to address Ireland's deficit, all Departments have had to find savings. The comprehensive review of expenditure published in December 2011 requires savings to be made in the Department's youth work budget. The 2013 allocation for youth work, between current and capital, will be in excess of €53 million. This remains a significant level of funding.

Nonetheless the Minister is acutely aware that the youth work sector has seen its budget reduced significantly over recent years. The savings required under the comprehensive review of expenditure in respect of this year amount to €5.393 million, which equates to almost a 10% reduction on 2012 funding. It should be noted there were no reductions in the national funding envelope for the local youth club grant scheme in 2012 or in 2013. This scheme funds approximately 1,600 groups throughout the country, which in turn provide activities to 100,000 young people.

In addition, €1.5 million will be provided in 2013 for youth cafes and youth projects. My Department will be announcing further details regarding the application process for the 2013 funding programmes very shortly. This follows on from funding of €500,000 which was provided in 2012 for the development of a number of youth cafes which had applied for previous youth cafe funding schemes.

The reduced allocation in the youth budget in recent years has required much tighter budget management and prioritisation. Officials of the Department have met with representatives of the youth sector on an ongoing basis to ascertain the sector's views on how best to minimise the impact of budgetary constraints with a view to consolidating, as far as is practicable, the progress made in previous years and to safeguard the services for the most vulnerable young people.

The Department has also exhorted all the national youth organisations and vocational education committees to revisit their level of expenditure to determine where cost savings can be achieved, bearing in mind the challenging budgetary situation that we face at this time.

To maximise the use of the funding available for youth services and programmes, the Department has afforded flexibility to the grant administering bodies to propose the reconfiguration of the allocations provided, having regard to the knowledge available to these bodies about the needs of young people at local level. Any such local proposals or recommendations require the approval of my Department before they are implemented. For example, earlier this week the City of Dublin Youth Service Board submitted a proposal to the Department requesting that percentage reductions which are different to those outlined in the CRE would be applied to the projects in the Dublin city area. The Minister is examining this proposal which is just received and will be responding to CDYSB in relation to the recommendations very shortly.

The Department has commenced a formal and comprehensive value for money review of youth funding and this is expected to report by mid-year. The Department has also prioritised the improvement of quality provision in youth work through the publication and ongoing implementation of a national quality standards framework for youth work. The Department has also developed national quality standards for volunteer-led youth groups which will be launched next week.

The Seanad adjourned at 2.15 p.m. until 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday, 5 March 2013.
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