Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

This is a major public reform of a large organisation. It needs a board that has a lot of expertise in HR, community services and the range of issues identified by the Deputy. It will be a small board because we do not want to replicate previous types of board. It will have greater accountability to the Department than previous boards. We are suggesting a different governance model.

We want people to apply who have the skills to manage an organisation of 4,000 people and the finances outlined by the Secretary General. It will be open and advertised in the way committee positions are advertised. We will follow the process followed by Government in asking people to apply. The Chair will appear before the committee.

There is an expert round-table session on youth unemployment on 21 June. It involves a group of EU experts on the links between the youth sector and youth employment issues. It will be helpful.

I have answered some of Senator van Turnhout's questions. The process involves submissions rather than tendering. Consortiums are asked to apply and if they are in a position to apply for funding, there will be a mechanism to do so. Those interested in applying can attend the seminar on 25 April and get information on the project. We will provide more details shortly. The criteria will be outlined and they will be transparent, based on deprivation levels in different areas, the ability of the consortium to deliver the projects and various other criteria, which will be weighted. The submission is much the same as was done the first time and the groups already providing area-based services will be eligible to apply.

Direct provision is primarily an issue for the Department of Justice and Equality but there are many children in direct provision. I have been to various centres and I am in discussion with the Department of Justice and Equality about greater focus on the children in direct provision. I have asked the Department to collect further statistics to outline more clearly in the annual report the number of children in direct provision attending child care services. Some are attending the preschool year. The children in direct-----