Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)

I welcome this debate. The Minister of State responsible for youth work, Deputy Seán Haughey, should note that I introduced the Youth Services Bill in 1990. There is a total lack of joined-up thinking. I wonder how many times the Ministers of State who were present this afternoon have met to ensure an integrated, cross-departmental approach to youth services. There are programmes emanating from each of the Departments of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Education and Science, and Health and Children, and there is major confusion among some youth organisations as to the source of their funding. There is a major need for joined-up thinking. The Youth Services Bill 1990 recommended this approach specifically but, unfortunately, as it was a Private Members' Bill, it was not considered, despite the fact that it received very good support from the Government benches. We are still talking about having joined-up thinking and a cross-departmental approachto youth services, but they have not yet materialised.

The Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, Deputy Brendan Smith, outlined how young people now have a voice. It is great that young people participate in organisations such as Dáil na nÓg, Comhairle na nÓg, local youth fora and students' fora, but in some ways these are as exclusive as this House. In no way do they represent the rank and file of young people. They are a great idea but if we are really serious about including young people, we should allow them to become involved in local partnerships, such as local area partnerships, county enterprise boards and county development boards. We have the opportunity to do so but are not availing of it.

Considering that I represent a generally rural constituency, I note that services for young people in rural areas are non-existent in most of the country. Nobody seems to care or bother to address this problem. While there are good and effective programmes such as the Garda diversion programme in urban areas, which programmes are linked to the RAPID areas, large rural regions have none. In north Kerry, for example, there is just one youth worker.

On the issue of Teenspace, the national social and recreational policy of the Department of Health and Children recommends what we all, including Deputy Finian McGrath, know already. It is something of a cliché to state there is less crime if recreational facilities are provided for young people. We all know this but we are not acting upon it.

The Minister of State, Deputy Seán Haughey, should convey to his ministerial colleagues my view that the budget should ring-fence a specific fund for the development of youth cafés. Young people, irrespective of whether they are surveyed locally or nationally, say they want them. Perhaps if they get them, they will want something else but at this moment, they seem to be what is required.

I have just mentioned the advantages of youth cafés. They are alcohol-free and drug-free spaces that are properly supervised. This is what young people need. Hopefully, this point can be responded to but that is critical.

It is easy to say this when one is in Opposition but despite this country's wealth, our Government and establishment have failed young people in many areas. Orthodontic treatment is very important for young people for cosmetic reasons. Young people are now very conscious of how they look and appear. In Kerry, the HSE will only treat people who applied before 2 June 2002. I am sure this is a microcosm of what is happening across the country. If one has to pay for orthodontic treatment, one faces a wait of more than five years. One can understand the damage that is done in the meantime.

I am delighted that we have the opportunity to discuss youth service provision in this country. As Deputy Shatter noted, it is a bit of an empty debate in one sense because we have in many ways abandoned and let down our youngpeople in so many different areas despite our wealth.

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