Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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406. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the progress made in implementing the youth guarantee scheme; if data is available on the progress of the pilot programme under the scheme; when the scheme will be more widely introduced; and the lead agencies in its implementation. [31589/14]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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416. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which the issue of youth unemployment continues to be tackled by her Department; if she has discussions with other relevant Departments in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31636/14]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 406 and 416 together.

The Youth Guarantee Implementation Plan was published in January. It provides for the introduction of earlier and more intensive engagement by INTREO with the young unemployed. It also provides for over 28,000 programme opportunities for unemployed young people in 2014, as set out in the appendix table, as follows. This figure excludes some 24,000 places provided for young people through PLC courses and apprenticeships. These PLC and apprenticeship places, together with the wide range of vocational third-level courses provided for the young, although not reserved for unemployed jobseekers, nevertheless contribute to the spirit of the guarantee.

In relation to the 28,500 places for unemployed young people, approximately 6,800 of these were taken up in the first half of 2014 (see table below for a detailed breakdown). This is broadly in line with expectations, as some programmes such as the student intake on programmes such as the Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) and Vocational Training Opportunity Scheme (VTOS) are concentrated in September/October in line with the academic calendar. A new intake of young people to the second iteration of the Momentum programme for long-term unemployed jobseekers is also scheduled for later in the year. The following table displays the total number of under 25s who have started across the various programmes outlined in the Youth Guarantee Implementation Plan in the first six months of 2014.

Under 25 starters on Youth Guarantee programmes, End June 2014

With specific reference to the Ballymun pilot, the latest data (June 24^th) shows that a total of 689 young people have attended Group Engagement sessions since the launch of the pilot. Of these a further 403 have been profiled. In total, there have been 1,388 guidance meetings conducted, with clients often attending multiple guidance meetings as part of an intensive guidance process prior to an appropriate offer being made. To date a total of 334 offers have been made, including 115 offers of employment and 187 offers of training or further education.

While the Youth Guarantee is being piloted in Ballymun it is also being rolled out nationally. Full implementation of the national Youth Guarantee will, as previously mentioned, only take place in the autumn. Implementation in specific areas of the country will be determined primarily by the level and trend of youth unemployment and the resulting demand for places, and the programme mix of such places, in each area. Local implementation of the Youth Guarantee will be a matter for the respective Department of Social Protection Divisions in each respective divisional area.

Prior to the design of the Youth Guarantee for Ireland, the Department of Social Protection set up an interdepartmental Youth Guarantee Implementation Group with officials and programme managers from the Department of Education and Skills, Department of Jobs Enterprise and Innovation, and the Department of Children and Youth Affairs. The terms of reference for this group were to review the current range of youth employment policies in Ireland to assess what measures were needed for the implementation of the Guarantee.

While the Department of Social Protection (DSP) has been identified as the lead co-ordinating organisation for the youth guarantee it will partner with other Departments and agencies in the roll out of the Guarantee. The main partner bodies, working alongside DSP, in the central administration will be:

- the Department of Education & Skills (DES), and its relevant agencies including SOLAS and the Higher Education Authority;

- the Department of Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation (DJEI), which will provide jobs for young people, including through the promotion of entrepreneurship;

- the Department of Children & Youth Affairs (DCYA), responsible for state policy and provision on youth work services, and for securing good educational and welfare outcomes for young people through the National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB);

- the Department of Public Expenditure & Reform (DPER), responsible for overseeing exchequer funding and ensuring that Youth Guarantee-related programmes will be thoroughly evaluated and will provide value for money.

The Department of Social Protection remains in constant contact with these government departments and agencies with regard to the implementation of the Youth Guarantee scheme and collates statistics monitoring the progress of the Youth Guarantee scheme.

Annexe Table

Expected participation, activation programmes, 2014