Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

This issue was raised in the course of an earlier discussion. Section 10 currently provides that it will be a function of the new education and training boards to support the provision, co-ordination, administration and assessment of youth work services and provide information requested by the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs in relation to that support. The effect of Deputy McConalogue’s amendment would be to require that these functions be done "in accordance with the Youth Work Act 2001". It should be noted that subsection (5) provides that “youth work” has the same meaning as it has in the Youth Work Act 2001. In addition, the inclusion of this function here does not take away from the provisions of the 2001 Act and, through a later amendment, the references to vocational education committees in that Act will be changed to education and training boards.

The reason for the inclusion of youth work services in the Bill is to ensure that education and training boards are enabled to assist in the implementation of policy in this area which is determined by my colleague, the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy Frances Fitzgerald. In light of these points, I am not convinced the amendment is necessary. The reason these requirements are coming into effect is that youth work is no longer a responsibility of the Department as it has been transferred to the Department of Children and Youth Affairs.