Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 18 September 2013
652. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Social Protection if her Department has engaged with the business, education and youth-work sectors in the possible design and operation of programmes to be funded from the EU's youth employment initiative. [38090/13]
View answerThe Government is now reviewing the current range of youth employment policies in Ireland to assess what measures will need to be taken to commence the implementation of the Youth Guarantee. It is intended to produce a concrete plan for the implementation of the Guarantee before the end of 2013. The Government, through an interdepartmental implementation group is working with all relevant sectors to maximise the impact of a Youth Guarantee in Ireland. The Department of Social Protection set up this interdepartmental group with officials and programme managers from the Department of Education and Science, Department of Jobs Enterprise and Innovation and the Department of Children and Youth Affairs to develop this plan. These Departments consult with relevant sectors on a regular basis in relation to the programmes and services for which they have responsibility. It is also planned to have a round of such consultation before finalising the implementation plan.
In terms of a starting point for the design and operation of programmes to be funded from the EU youth employment initiative, the Department of Social Protection has obtained funding from the European Commission (€250,000) for a pilot Youth Guarantee project in the Ballymun area. On the National Steering Group for the Ballymun pilot are representatives from the business (IBEC), education (FAS\VECs) and youth-sectors (National Youth Council of Ireland). Experience gained from this pilot project is being used in part to inform the design of the national Youth Guarantee project.
