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EU Youth in Action Programme

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 February 2012

Tuesday, 28 February 2012

Ceisteanna (579, 580)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

Ceist:

630 Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the involvement Irish children and young persons have had with the EU’s Youth in Action 2007 to 2013 programme. [10670/12]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Ireland has been a participant country in the EU Youth in Action Programme 2007-2013 and the Programmes for young people that preceded it; the Youth Programme (2000 -2007), Youth for Europe and European Voluntary Service. My Department is the National Authority for the Youth in Action Programme in Ireland. The National Agency appointed to administer this Programme in Ireland is Léargas — the Exchange Bureau.

There are five general objectives associated with the Youth in Action Programme, namely that it:

Promotes young people's active citizenship in general and their European citizenship in particular;

Develops solidarity and promotes tolerance among young people, in particular in order to reinforce social cohesion in the EU;

Fosters mutual understanding between young people in different countries;

Contributes to developing the quality of support systems for youth activities and the capabilities of civil society organisations in the youth field;

Promotes European cooperation in the youth field.

Since 2007 there have been 692 projects and 10,071 young people and youth leaders have participated in the various actions of the Programme. The overall funding to Ireland was €9,742,241.

In 2012 the funding allocated to Ireland for projects has increased from €2.04 million in 2011 to €2.53 million.

An independent Interim Evaluation of the Programme carried out in 2010 found that the Programme is operating successfully in Ireland and is delivering the intending impacts for young participants, youth workers and organisations for young people.

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

Ceist:

631 Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her priorities in the negotiations around any continuation of the EU’s Youth in Action programme or similar programmes post 2013. [10671/12]

Amharc ar fhreagra

The EU Youth in Action Programme 2007-2013, in which Ireland is a participant, is due to finish in December 2013. In a communication on the 23rd November 2011 the EU Commission published its proposal for Erasmus for All: the EU Programme for Education, Youth, Training and Sport. The proposed programme will be a single Programme for Education, Training, Youth and Sport for the 2014-2020 period. The Programme reflects the priorities of the Europe 2020 Strategy and its flagship initiatives.

Ongoing consultation and discussion on the proposed new programme are currently taking place at EU level in the Education Committee. My Department has been contributing to the debate through the Education Permanent Representation on this Committee. My Department's priority is to maintain the continuing relevance of the youth element of the proposed new programme for young people in Ireland.

Question No. 632 answered with Question No. 628.
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