Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent)

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. I think it might be useful at the outset for Members to understand the context of what is being raised here. Community training centres were established in 1977 as community training workshops to support young, unemployed people aged 16 to 25. Since 1988, they have been delivering the Youthreach programme. I agree with the Deputy that they do really valuable and important work. I am having the opportunity to see more of it as I travel around the country.

There are 31 CTCs throughout the country contracted by the education and training boards, ETBs, to deliver the Youthreach programme. This means they are grant-aided organisations. Each CTC is a non-profit company and has its own independent board of directors which is responsible for the recruitment and retention of staff. With the Deputy’s background and experience, she will know that CTCs are not public sector organisations nor are their staff designated as public servants. ETBs manage the CTCs within the parameters of the Department of public expenditure’s Circular 13/2014. This circular provides comprehensive guidelines for the management, accountability and reporting of public funds allocated through these grants.

Regarding the importance of Youthreach, Department officials maintain a strong working relationship with CTCs through IACTO, which is their representative body. This is supported by the IACTO liaison committee, which includes representatives from IACTO itself, the ETBs, SOLAS and the ETBI. Officials have advised me that the last meeting of the committee took place on 27 May. However, at that meeting it was agreed that the original purpose of that committee is now redundant and that a review of the terms and conditions will be undertaken and discussed at the next meeting, which will take place in September.

These guidelines are being developed under Circular 13/2014. It is intended the revised guidelines will address issues raised by CTCs through this liaison committee. I have to stress that the issues related to recruitment, retention and terms and conditions cannot be resolved within this committee as they are the responsibility of the CTC boards. They are outside the remit of the Department and other committee members.

Specifically in response to the Deputy’s query, the Department has no role in the employment of CTC staff, including in the areas of recruitment, terms and conditions and pay. This also applies to the ETBs, which contract the service from the CTCs, and to SOLAS, which provides funding to the ETBs. I am sorry to anyone listening for all the mention of ETBs and CTCs. The Deputy and I know what I am speaking about, however. As the Deputy said, staff in the CTCs were awarded a 5% pay increase following a WRC hearing in June 2023. Staff were awarded the increase in two increments.

Staff recruitment and retention issues have not been raised recently at the committee meetings that I spoke of. It is important to say they cannot be resolved through the liaison committee as they fall under the authority of the CTC boards.

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