Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 18 April 2023

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth

Youth Work: Discussion

Mr. Jim Lawlor:

It is designed in such a way as to limit the work. Youth workers cannot do this, that or the other. That is not the work. It has to have the percentages right. It is all about the numbers. That is a serious issue. Of course, people ignore it because they have no option but to do that if they are to do the job; however, they can be penalised if the agencies decide to move on that. Then add in all the other stuff Ms McKenna spoke about. There are some fundamentals that need to be corrected. It can be the basis for, as Dr. McMahon spoke about, a framework for the development of youth work. Let us use the UBU. Let us take it apart, see if there are any good bits and develop a more suitable structure.