Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)

I welcome this debate. It is important Dáil Éireann discusses young people and their problems at this time. I disagree with the contribution of Deputy Shatter. This is not a useless debate. As Minister of State responsible for youth affairs, I have waited a long time for such a debate and welcome the fact we are having a day-long discussion on issues that affect young people.

Ireland has the youngest population in Europe. Its present population is over 4 million, the highest on record since 1871. Of this, 42% or two in five are under the age of 25 while the EU average for under-25s is 25%. My Department has long recognised that our young people represent an active and vital force in our country's social, political and economic development and well-being. It is, therefore, important we recognise the valuable contribution young people make to our society and that we support their personal, social and educational development.

Enabling individuals to achieve their potential and participate fully as members of society is a key objective for Government. For young people, this means ensuring the availability of supports across a range of measures, including family support, health provision and, probably most notable in a young person's life, education. While much attention is paid to the undoubtedly important role that formal education plays in young people's lives, it should be recognised that it is also through complementary non-formal education activities and programmes that young people find the means to reach their personal potential and engage actively in their communities.

Irish society has changed dramatically in the past ten to 15 years. At least four major types of recent change, all interrelated, have been identified: economic, political, technological and cultural. These changes impact significantly on the lives of our young people.

The make up of the youth population is more culturally diverse than heretofore, increasing the need for intercultural aptitudes and awareness among young people and those who work with them. Ensuring this diversity is seen as a positive from which all can gain enrichment is a key challenge for all of us. In addition, the economic boom of recent years has brought its own challenges. Young people have more disposable income than heretofore, bringing with it its own set of burdens and complications for our young people that we of older generations did not experience.

Recognising that these problems and challenges are real, my Department, with others responsible for young people's issues, have put a number of measures and initiatives in place to address them. It is fair to state that those involved in the education process accept that innovative approaches are required to meet the current needs of our young people, with provision being made available through non-traditional modes, including those used by the youth work sector where appropriate.

Youth work and the youth work sector has a particular role to play in preparing and equipping our young people for adulthood. The overall purpose of the youth work service is to assist young people to realise their potential and become active participants in a democratic society. Youth work programmes and services provide space to young people to voluntarily engage in educational programmes which help this development. These activities, while being fun, engaging and inclusive, are also educative.

Youth work is complementary to the formal school system and in Ireland is implemented primarily by voluntary youth work organisations and groups. It is characterised by requiring the voluntary participation of young people. The programmes run by the voluntary youth work organisations vary widely and include outdoor pursuits, arts, recreation, project work and international exchanges. Qualities and skills such as leadership, co-operation, decision-making, motivation and self responsibility are acquired by young people through this non-formal learning process. In addition, youth work often acts as the point of contact and referral in the interface with other youth-related issues spanning the realms of care, health and welfare.

The development of youth work has been underpinned by the Youth Work Act 2001, which provides for a structural framework to support youth work at national and local level. The Act provides for a national youth work advisory committee comprising of equal representation from the voluntary youth work sector and the statutory sector, including key Departments such as the Department of Education and Science, the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, the Department of Arts Sport and Tourism and the Department of Health and Children. The committee, the third of which I appointed earlier this year, advises me and my Department on policy regarding youth work.

At local level, a structure has been agreed with the Irish Vocational Education Association to resource VECs to help them carry out the functions envisaged for them under the Act. The national youth work development plan also provides recommendations for action on a number of issues affecting young people and the youth work services that are provided for them. These are being progressed by my Department in consultation with the various youth work interests on a phased and prioritised basis.

The important work carried out by the youth work sector with young people is also recognised by the Government through a number of initiatives funded by my Department and in 2007 this support totalled €51 million. Essentially, as Minister of State responsible for youth affairs, I am responsible for rolling out the provisions of the Youth Work Act 2001 and the provisions of the national youth work development plan on a phased and prioritised basis.

Education is central to addressing youth welfare issues. It is necessary not only to communicate information but to foster the motivation, skills and confidence necessary to take action to improve health and well-being. It is important that young people know and accept themselves for who they are, have increased self-esteem and are enabled to make responsible decisions about their health behaviour. Young people need to be empowered to communicate with others, negotiate healthy relationships, differentiate between high and low risk behaviour, protect themselves and others, and know how to gain access to and use health care information and services.

The work of the national youth health programme is central in addressing youth welfare issues, such as health and well-being. This partnership programme, which is operated by the National Youth Council of Ireland and funded by the youth affairs section of my Department and the HSE's health promotion unit, provides a broad-based, flexible health promotion support and training service to youth work organisations. It aims to promote healthy lifestyles and provides information and training in a number of areas, including health education, alcohol, bullying, drugs, mental health, sexual health, nutrition, physical activity and suicide prevention.

Youth work has a particularly distinctive and significant role to play in increasing youth participation. The operation of democratically controlled youth groups by young people provides them with valuable learning experiences on how to participate in and manage democratic systems. Such learning is likely to be highly beneficial to the future health and well-being of society. Criteria for youth work organisations, which is being finalised as part of the further roll-out of the Youth Work Act 2001, will require youth organisations to demonstrate a commitment to the involvement of young people in areas such as programme-service provision and the decision-making process of the organisation.

As regards citizenship, many youth organisations through their programmes and activities seek to involve young people in a voluntary capacity in analysing community needs and taking action to contribute to meeting those needs. Examples of such activities are to be seen in areas such as environmental improvement, the upgrading of community facilities, care for the elderly, services for those with disabilities, aid to the Third World and analysis of social issues and suggestions for their improvement.

These projects are recognised by young people as being of value to them as well as to the community. Different groups are very much involved in active citizenship. In particular, I welcome Foróige's youth citizenship programme under whose aegis I recently made presentations to certain young people. Gaisce is another important youth initiative with which many Members will be familiar.

I affirm the importance of consulting young people on matters of public policy which affect them. I welcome the growth of this practice among public bodies in the development of services and facilities for young people. This will better position us to put in place appropriate mechanisms to facilitate young people in the quest to achieve their potential and to participate in and improve society.

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