asked the Minister for Education when the introduction of an Irish Youth Award Scheme was first mooted in his Department; whether the matter was researched; and the date on which a decision to introduce such a scheme was made.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Irish Youth Award Scheme.
24.
The National Youth Council proposed an award scheme to the Department of Education in 1972. It was discussed by my predecessor and while general approval in principle for the scheme was expressed, I can find no evidence of specific commitments being given, or of the necessary financial arrangements having been made. On taking office, I also met the National Youth Council and had the whole scheme studied by a panel of advisers on youth policy which I had set up. I concluded that, while the scheme had considerable merits, it was too difficult to assess its likely results in practice to warrant an immediate commitment to a national scheme which could become very costly over time. My preference is for a local pilot scheme or schemes to try out the basic ideas involved, which would be rigorously assessed and could form the basis for a wider decision. Arrangements for this will, of course, have to be made in the light of the overall financial provision for youth services.
Will the Parliamentary Secretary agree that on the 11th February he said in this House that he was not aware that any decision had been taken to proceed with the award scheme in question, and does he now propose withdrawing that statement?
I would make a distinction between an indication that one was favourably disposed in principle towards a proposal and a decision to put it into effect backed up by having made the necessary financial commitment. That is the distinction which must be made in this case.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary accept that at a meeting with representatives of the various youth organisations it was said to them in the presence of the officials of the Department that they should now proceed to prepare for the introduction of the scheme, and that that is or was on the file in question?
I gather from looking through the file that the then Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Education Deputy O'Kennedy said that, in principle, he was in favour of the scheme. I have no evidence that the specific arrangements necessary to put the scheme into effect had been made either by him or by Deputy Tunney when he was Parliamentary Secretary. Naturally enough, when I came into office I decided to make my own decisions on this matter.
If the Parliamentary Secretary communicates with any of the representatives of the youth organisations they will confirm to him what I am saying, that they were told to proceed with the preparation of the scheme. Has the Parliamentary Secretary been told that by them?
The National Youth Council may, at the request of the Parliamentary Secretary of the time, have made detailed proposals in relation to this matter, but the provision of money is a matter for the Government. It is a decision of that kind which is substantial, and that decision was not taken in the time of either of my predecessors.
So the Parliamentary Secretary did mislead the House?
And he has killed the scheme. He told them not to proceed with it.
I did not tell them.
Nothing has happened in two years.
I do not believe that a national scheme of this character should be initiated on a national basis, and I would propose to initiate it on a pilot basis.
Could the Parliamentary Secretary say why he considers that scheme should not be introduced on a national basis?
I answered that in my original reply.
If the Parliamentary Secretary could satisfy the people here in the same way way as he can satisfy himself with his alleged answers, life would be happy for all of us.