When I reported progress I was taking an overview of what might be expected to happen in the youth service in the course of the next 12 months, and comparing it with the targets we set ourselves on taking office. I dealt with the progress towards developing a national youth policy. I want to remind the House that the committee are already showing their commitment to the task in hand. They presented an interim report within three months of being established, as they were requested to do. Members on all sides of the House will look forward to the final report due in September of this year. That report when presented undoubtedly will present challenges which we must face and, in so far as we can with the very difficult financial situation in which we find ourselves, we must respond to them.
A scheme of grants to assist youth organisations and provide services for young people was first introduced in 1969 when a total of £42,000 was made available from Exchequer funds. That level of support has increased progressively as successive Governments recognised the role of youth organisations in the social education of young people. In 1980 substantial progress was made when it was agreed to guarantee to support courses staff and programmes of organisations then in receipt of grants. Last year saw further progress in the development of the youth service. As I mentioned yesterday, an increase of 36 per cent on the 1982 provision was secured and this allowed for the entry of new organisations to the youth service grant scheme. They were Macra na Feirme, An Óige, the Order of Malta and the Junior Chamber of Ireland. The provision of funds to assist the promotion and development of services for those most in need was the other development of which I spoke yesterday. The extension of the scheme to include Macra na Feirme was of particular importance to Members of this House as indicated in representations I have had from almost every Member in the House representing a rural constituency who has paid tribute to the work of this organisation and the valuable contribution they make to the social scene in rural Ireland in particular, so I was very happy to be able to respond.
The year 1983 saw progress on another front. An agreed set of grant-aid criteria was produced in consultation with the National Youth Council of Ireland and youth organisations in general. At one time it was complained that equity varied with the length of the Lord Chancellor's foot. I do not think that anyone has suggested that the allocation of the youth service grant scheme depended upon the size shoes worn by various Ministers of State. There would be some remarkable divergencies between the very elegant foot of my predecessor, Deputy Geoghegan-Quinn, and some of our more plodding offerings, but it is fair to say that the scheme depended unduly perhaps on the whim of the office holder of the day, or at least it was open to that fear on the part of organisations. The new scheme provides for the assessment of the effectiveness of the youth organisations in the areas of administration, full-time and part-time staff, programmes and development for the purpose of allocating new grants.
This year for the first time the grants will be decided in the context of that scheme. An important feature of the scheme is a commitment to consult with the standing committee on youth work of the National Youth Council of Ireland in relation to any further developments and extensions of the scheme. As I indicated, the 1984 provision in the Estimates allows for an increase in the 1983 outturn of £1.371 million and that increase will be well in excess of the cost of living increase that might be expected.
The area of in-service training for full-time youth workers has given rise to concern for some time. Organisations require to provide ongoing in-service training for their full-time staff, which is understandable, and this is becoming a central feature of the youth service. In order to equip workers with appropriate skills it is necessary to meet the changing needs of young people and the changing needs and aspirations of the volunteer leaders. My Department provide direct assistance to organisations for in-service training. This whole question must be examined by the national youth policy committee in the context of the overall provision of training for youth workers. Last year £20,000 was made available to organisations for this purpose and once again provision will be made in this coming year.
My Department and I recognise that youth work has an international dimension which plays a part in determining the general development and quality of youth service. Consequently, in co-operation with the National Youth Council of Ireland and other appropriate organisations, funds are made available to assist youth groups, young people and youth leaders to avail of learning and training opportunities abroad. An area of significance is that of cross-Border youth exchanges. For some years a scheme of grant assistance has been in existence which was made available to promote and encourage greater contact, co-operation and participation in events by young people from both parts of Ireland. Under it grants are payable to youth groups affiliated to recognised national youth organisations to assist them to travel to and stay in Northern Ireland, or to host a group from there. As I have indicated, I attach a high priority to the development of this exchange programme. Members will be interested to know that last year some 52 exchanges took place under this programme involving some 1,770 young people. This year will see extended supportive aid. Parallel to that is the area of British-Irish youth exchange which this Government see as an important priority in generating goodwill and mutual co-operation among all young people from these islands.
Members of the House will be aware that 1985 will be International Youth Year. Ireland has sought and, having sought, secured membership of the United Nations Advisory Committee for International Youth Year. It did so because it seemed to us that the themes of that year — participation, development and peace — were of special relevance in an Irish context. A national coordinating committee for International Youth Year has been established and that committee is representative of youth organisations, young people, Government Departments and other interests. The task of the committee is to plan, co-ordinate, stimulate and assist activities by appropriate governmental and non-governmental agencies for IYY. The Government have agreed to provide £140,000 Exchequer assistance to the committee in support of their plans for the year. I would welcome the views of other Members on this, but it seems that the celebration of International Youth Year and the themes central to it offer many opportunities for co-operation in joint North-South programmes for young people.
I have already taken the opportunity of having a meeting with my opposite number in Northern Ireland, Mr. Nicholas Scott, MP, to consider with him what opportunities he and we would see arising. It is a fair summary to say that on all sides is a desire to avail of the opportunity presented by IYY to extend contact and co-operation. One area has already been decided. Members of the House are aware that within this island about three scout organisations are in existence. Next year will see those organisations coming together for a joint camp on a scale that has scarcely ever been seen before in this country. Full details of this will be announced shortly. I hope in the near future to indicate how we can give further practical support. It may be of interest to my colleague sitting beside me to know that the intended venue is in the west.
