Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)

I am up next. I thank the witnesses for being here. One of the early considerations of the committee was that it is easy for a committee to go into the depths of education, but we are conscious that the committee and its parent Department include youth in their remit. Someone used the term "parity of esteem", which we first heard in public life around the Good Friday Agreement, but it is important. When a general election happens and a government is formed, Departments get redefined. Youth is in the committee's Department now and it is at risk at times of being overshadowed by education, given how large the sphere of education is.

I thank the witnesses for their work. I can attribute to the National Youth Council of Ireland that I am here today. It got me on the first rung of political life. The Nice treaty had been rejected by the people of Ireland. Bertie Ahern was Taoiseach. A forum was set up in Dublin Castle and the National Youth Council of Ireland was there. I was the youngest of three young people there. Leo Varadkar was one and the others were Lucinda Creighton and me. There was someone else who will have to forgive me if they are tuned in, because I cannot remember their name. Varadkar and Creighton did well and I am struggling on. I suppose the NYCI helped to turn a shy teenager into someone who felt a little empowered. I know from the many young people I have met over the years in all the witnesses' organisations that they get a bit of an X factor from working with youth workers, so I thank the witnesses for all they do.

My first question is for Ms Carey. The Solas Project is just across the river and in the city. It would be great if the committee could pay a visit to its facility some morning. I propose that this be done if it can be facilitated. It is often lauded how well the inner city is looking. New shiny buildings are popping up and we are bringing in financial and tech industries. However, we want youth work to exist among the oldest communities, so it would be great if the committee could be facilitated. Perhaps some of the project's colleagues could be hosted that day so we can see this in action.

A point was made in a couple of the opening statements that there is an existential crisis in youth work when it comes to funding, keeping people there and being there for young people. Is youth work excessively focused on urban areas? I am asking Ms Carey, but some of the others might comment as well. It is largely believed that in rural areas there are pitches and community halls and something to do, but that assumes that young people are homogenous and all pick up a hurley, go down the road and behave well in the local community hall. However, that is not the case. There is a lack of facilities in many communities. Is it a fair criticism that, not by design or intent, but maybe because of a lack of funding or a lack of a spiderweb of resources, youth workers become focused on urban environments and urban disadvantaged environments in particular. Is that a fair criticism?