I am aware of the report in question and I commend its findings, in particular that young people strongly believe in active citizenship, volunteering and helping others, and that they see these values as a strong part of their understanding of being Irish. The young people consulted have a strong sense of the value of community and have expressed the view that this value was lost during the boom years.
A key principle underlying my Department’s activities is enabling communities themselves to identify and address social and economic needs and problems in their own areas. There is a particular focus on supporting communities that are vulnerable, disadvantaged or under threat, and an adherence to the values of local participation. Youth is a priority target group for many state interventions and supports. My Department’s Local and Community Development Programme (LCDP) which aims to tackle poverty and social exclusion, through partnership and constructive engagement between Government, and its agencies, and people in disadvantaged communities provides support to young people. Over the course of 2011 and 2012 output data demonstrate that almost 143,000 young people/children were engaged with through the Programme. The LCDP is a key tool of Government in providing supports for the ‘harder to reach’ in the most disadvantaged areas in society and I believe the focus on supporting youth, through this and other interventions, should continue.
