Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 6: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will provide further detail on the commitment in the Programme for Government to establish a Civilian Corps. [8384/11]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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In keeping with the commitment in the programme for Government, over the coming months I plan to explore options for the establishment of a civilian corps which could allow some jobseekers to use and share their skills in developing countries while retaining some jobseeker's benefit.

Support for volunteering has always been strong in Ireland. Much of the achievement and the strong international reputation of our development programme is built on the contribution of generations of courageous Irish volunteers and missionaries who worked to improve the lives of the world's poorest people. The volunteering experience today contributes to young people's personal and professional development, while providing skills and expertise that complement those existing on the ground.

Since I was appointed Minister of State with responsibility for trade and development, I have begun a process of dialogue with the Irish development non-governmental organisations, both collectively and individually. I hope to meet shortly with the main organisations which send volunteers to work in developing countries. I will explore with them how people who have become unemployed or cannot find employment in Ireland could most usefully play a role in international development, if they wish to do so.

The focus of the Government's aid programme is on the fight against poverty and hunger in some of the poorest countries and communities in the world. It is strongly concentrated in the countries of sub-Saharan Africa. Through the aid programme, which is administered by Irish Aid in the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Government is currently funding the work of about 1,300 development workers, volunteers and missionaries in developing countries. In addition, Ireland's rapid response corps, established by Irish Aid, enables those with specific skills to deploy swiftly in humanitarian crises. I am also examining a pilot initiative at European Union level to develop a European voluntary humanitarian aid corps.

It is clear that volunteers can have a very important role to play as part of Ireland's overall contribution to development. I want to ensure we can build on the contribution already being made by individual Irish volunteers in the most effective, relevant and safest manner possible.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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I commend the Government on what appears to be a superb idea which will have my party's active support. Is it envisaged that jobseekers will arrange work through the Department or Irish Aid or will they liaise directly with the relevant charities and organisations? Does the Minister of State have a timescale for engaging with organisations such as GOAL and Trócaire to obtain their input into what appears to be an excellent plan? Will this be part of the jobs initiative - perhaps I should refer to it as a jobs budget - which the Government will announce in the next month or thereabouts?

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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I do not mind whether the Deputy calls it the jobs budget or jobs initiative. I welcome his support for this proposal. In reply to his earlier question, I have begun to consult and have met the board of Dóchas, an umbrella organisation for all the various bodies, to discuss how this might work. I also met Trócaire and I plan to meet within the next few weeks the various other organisations such as Concern, GOAL and Misean Cara, which represents the missionaries. We already have the mechanism of going through those kinds of bodies. Voluntary Service Overseas is another major organisation for volunteering and it would seem a good channel to use as we know it works well.

With regard to establishing a new mechanism, I am not sure any of us would wish to begin setting up new bodies or organisations, and I would probably be condemned if I suggested that. Primarily, we want to use what we already have. I point out that Irish Aid has a volunteering and information centre on O'Connell Street, Dublin. I would advise anybody who wishes to access information on volunteering to visit the centre, which is in an obvious location with a big shop front-type window.

I do not envisage this will be a specific proposal in the jobs initiative or jobs budget. Frankly, I do not believe it will be ready for that time and those proposals will largely relate to other areas of job creation. We certainly intend to develop this.