I am glad to have the opportunity to raise this urgent matter and I appreciate the presence in the House of the Minister of State, Deputy Molloy. However, with due respect to his courtesy I would have preferred if the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Martin, or particularly the Minister of State with responsibility for youth affairs, Deputy O'Dea, had been present. The Minister of State is proving very elusive on this and other matters which fall within his remit. He is more forthcoming on matters outside his remit, as we have recently seen in the media. However, I very much regret that he is not in the House tonight.
This matter is causing great difficulties for youth organisations. Following the Minister of State's response I hope I will have an opportunity to raise the matter directly with the relevant Department.
In any assessment of social need in Ireland the needs of young people come to the fore — the need for education and training, the need for jobs, and, very importantly, social, personal and developmental needs to help them make the transition to adult life and participate fully as citizens. While the formal education system plays a big part in meeting these needs, the informal education sector, as represented through youth organisations, has, particularly in recent decades, played an increasingly important role.
The statutory youth sector in Ireland is very small but at least the staff working in the sector are paid in accordance with proper scales which relate to pay and conditions in the public sector. The vast bulk of youth work is carried out by volunteers, working in and for their communities as part of local and national youth organisations. They are supported by a small number of paid staff who work mainly in developmental, support and administrative roles. The voluntary youth work sector is one which performs excellent work in what are increasingly difficult circumstances and it is only right and proper that the State should support it in every way possible. Regrettably, this is not so as illustrated in a glaring instance currently at issue between the voluntary youth organisations and the Department of Education and Science.
As someone who worked in the voluntary youth sector I know that staff who work for youth organisations do so for the love of the job but they are entitled to decent pay and, like other workers, to receive increases due under national agreements such as Partnership 2000.
Youth organisations are funded under the Department's youth service grant scheme. These grants must be increased this year to allow these bodies give the minimal pay increases due to their staff. It is regrettable that the Department has failed to indicate to date that this will happen in 1998. I appeal to the Minister to ensure that the Government rectifies this matter immediately.
While not the employer, the Department has a responsibility to these staff under the terms of its grant scheme. Four pages of the application form for the scheme relate to staff details. The Department's guidelines commit it "To fund a basic level of administration, staff and programmes, relative to that which operated to the previous year and to current costs". It also states that the level of funding will take into account "Their current gross salary costs". This imposes a moral, if not legal, obligation on the Department. Youth services are closely involved locally and nationally in social partnership. Social partnership produces agreements like Partnership 2000 which have done so much for this country. The Government has an obligation to ensure that its terms are met, particularly in relation to youth services. I hope the Minister will respond favourably.
