Mr. Bernard Gloster:

I thank Senator Ruane for her questions. I will let Ms Duggan deal with the questions around 18 to 19-year-olds and being able to access financial support if they do not access it at the start.

From a policy perspective there are two things that are helpful. First, I agree with what is implied in the Senator's question, that is, that there needs to be a more adaptable and flexible approach to how we apply aftercare supports, as opposed to the traditionally rigid view involving full-time education and so on. We have started to do that now and are funding an organisation called Way 2 Work which works with young people around their talents and skills and the possibility of apprenticeships. They have major programmes going on in Dublin, Cork and Limerick at the moment and those involved in those programmes can get aftercare supports. They do not have to be in formal education but we have a way to go with that.

The second part or the flip side of that, which is something that carers and social workers have told us, is that we have to exercise some degree of caution.

When young people leave care at 18 and wish to leave care, we should try to support them to do that but not simply open up full access to a full aftercare allowance when they are not involved in any structured element of their lives because that type of access to that kind of money can be quite destructive when you are still at that fairly tender age. It is a balancing piece. I agree with the broad thrust of the question that there needs to be a much broader review than the limitations from where it came. Ms Duggan and Ms Murphy might give a sense of the point of 18- to 19-year-olds and education.