asked the Minister for Labour if he proposes to have the full amount of the 1 per cent youth employment levy spent on direct employment creation; and if he will make the youth employment agency responsible for the expenditure of this money following the Taoiseach's promise to the National Youth Council to have the matter examined.
Written Answers. - Youth Employment Levy.
516.
Section 15 of the Youth Employment Agency Act, 1981, indicates that the youth employment levy shall be used to:
"defray the expenditure of the Youth Employment Agency in the performance of its functions and such other expenditure in relation to the training and employment of young persons as the Minister (for Labour) may determine with the consent of the Minister for Finance".
Section 4 of the Act sets out the principal objectives of the agency as being:
"to establish, develop, extend, operate, assist, encourage, supervise, co-ordinate and integrate, either directly or indirectly, schemes for the training and employment of young persons, being principally persons over the age of 15 years and under the age of 25 years”.
In view of the foregoing the Deputy will appreciate that the purposes of the levy are not confined to financing direct employment creation.