John Lyons (Dublin North West, Labour)
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By way of preface, I was quite involved in the youth guarantee before I came in here so I probably know a little bit more than most people about it. We all seem to use this phrase now but there is an onus on everybody to get involved in understanding the concept. At the moment Ireland is only trialling and testing how such a concept could be applied. Although there are figures for the amount of money that will be available, the most important thing is to trial and test a concept that can be adapted to the Irish environment and people.

The witnesses here today are not on the proposed steering group that has been set up to oversee the implementation of the youth guarantee scheme and, unless that is a mistake in the press release, I would advise revisiting that decision. Since coming into Leinster House my understanding has been that the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation focuses on creating the environment for work to happen and the Department of Social Protection focuses on providing and upskilling the people who will work in that environment. That is a fine and happy medium but there does not seem to be any bridge between the two. I do not know what is at play there. There are two excellent documents, Pathways to Work and Action Plan for Jobs but it is very hard to see where they are intertwined. For the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation to say it will support the Department of Social Protection in the roll-out of the youth guarantee scheme is not enough. There are talented people in the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, six of whom are sitting across from me now, plus many others, who probably have ideas that will not be heard or sought if they are not on the steering group.

I know that the Department of Education and Skills and the new SOLAS will play a part but the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation has an innovative part to play in the roll-out of the youth guarantee scheme. I do not know what that is but the Department is not mentioned in the press release that was issued on 3 July. That expertise is much needed. For whatever reason the two Departments do not appear to be as intertwined as they should be. That needs to change if we are genuinely concerned about having an appropriate youth guarantee scheme in Ireland.