Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is important that the Deputy has raised the youth guarantee and the potential it could have in this country. As he is aware, initially the sum of €6 billion was agreed. The Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Burton, succeeded in steering that through at EU level. It is a superb initiative and is very important in dealing with the crisis in youth unemployment. The Deputy asked whether the youth guarantee has any relevance for youth work groups in this country. In fact, I believe it does. The fund has increased to €8 billion, to be front-loaded over the next two years. I have been in discussions with the youth work sector and I worked during the Presidency to ensure youth work is seen as part of the continuum that helps young people to access education, training and work.

The youth guarantee should be used to support youth work groups and the projects and programmes they run. I have already had some discussions with the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Burton, on the matter. In the coming weeks and months she plans to put a group together to examine how the youth guarantee can have an impact in this country. As Deputy Boyd Barrett correctly pointed out, the youth work services should be part and parcel of an approach to support young people who face the levels of youth unemployment experienced in this country and in Europe.

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