Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 29 February 2024
288. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the extent to which his Department continues to liaise with youth representatives in County Kildare and nationally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9918/24]
View answerMy Department officials and I regularly meet with representatives of the youth sector, including young people, youth service providers and the Education and Training Boards who administer a number of the key funding schemes on behalf of my Department.
The national youth representative network, made up on Comhairle na nÓg, Dail na nÓg and the National Youth Assembly, provides opportunities for my Department to regularly engage with young people, including those from Co. Kildare.
With regard to meetings with youth sector representatives in Kildare, my officials have recently with the youth service director and youth officers of Kildare and Wicklow ETB, as part of a series of bilateral meetings with each ETB. These meetings have given my officials the opportunity to explore the key issues of concern to each ETB.
My officials are in regular contact with ETBI, the representative body for all of the ETBs. ETBI acts a conduit for information between the ETB youth divisions and my Department, providing advice and guidance to ETBs on my Department's funding schemes, and updating my officials of issues of concern to the ETBs.
My officials also maintain regular contact with the 30 national youth organisations funded under the Youth Service Grant Scheme and with Gaisce - the President's Award. This includes the National Youth Organisations Meeting which I attend twice a year to hear directly from the sector. The next meeting takes place in May of this year. These organisations provide volunteer led youth services on a national basis, including to the young people of Kildare.
Officials from my Department meet with various youth organisations on an individual basis when the need arises.
