asked the Taoiseach if he will involve the National Youth Council of Ireland in the discussions on the Programme for National Recovery, Phase II.
6.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Central Review Committee Composition.
5.
asked the Taoiseach if he will invite the National Youth Council of Ireland to join the Central Review Committee as a fully participating social partner.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 5 and 6 together.
The Central Review Committee under the Programme for National Recovery is composed of those who are signatories to that programme and have made specific commitments under it. It is not possible therefore to change the membership of the Central Review Committee during the currency of the programme.
The question of including the National Youth Council of Ireland in the negotiations for a programme to follow the current programme will be considered in due course.
Given that the Taoiseach has decided to involve the ICMSA on the Central Review Committee under the Programme for National Recovery, Phase II, I feel that the National Youth Council of Ireland should be given like representation. Like the ICMSA, they were not involved in the discussions on Phase I.
I hope that will be the position in regard to Phase II. I agree with the Deputy that they should be included but we will have to negotiate that with the social partners.
Could the Taoiseach meet the National Youth Council of Ireland in the near future to discuss their social partnership status in general terms and also their membership of bodies and committees that relate to young people? Because of the disappointment experienced by the National Youth Coucil in having their representation on NESC reduced from two to one, this would in some way be a compensation to them.
I have no objection at all to meeting them at any time but I must again refute the suggestion that they are at any detriment by having one representative on NESC out of a total of six representatives.
I would like to emphasise that, as the Programme for National Recovery, phase II will deal with the future of young people over the next four years and will plan the economic policies that will affect the future of many of these people——
Questions, please.
I would like to ask the Taoiseach to ensure that they would be involved in some way.
As I have said, I would be glad to consider as favourably as possible having them involved in Phase II but it is a matter that we will have to negotiate with the other social partners.