Caít Keane (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister to the House. The full title of her office is the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, which is no accident. It was designed, as she was designed, to fit the Department. If one examines her background in social work and where she came from then one will know that there is no better person, in any Department, than Deputy Fitzgerald. She has done a lot of youth work and she has brought great empathy to her job.

Many people have spoken about the work done by various Senators on youth work. If one carried out a survey of all of the Deputies and Senators one would find that a lot of them have a background in youth work and social issues. I have a similar background because I taught Montessori and did youth work. Later I studied for a diploma in community development and also one on social deprivation. Senator Hayden mentioned the importance of examining social deprivation and its link to youth work. Some Senators pointed out that it was important to focus money on social deprivation as all of society is not equal. Society consists of different people. There are rich people who cannot be bothered to volunteer but that is the other side of the spectrum.

I welcome the motion that was tabled by the Independent Senators and others. Youth work plays a most important part in Ireland today. It inculcates active citizenship and participative democracy in citizens in Ireland and starts with the young. From my background I can state that its importance is recognised. For example, a poem of William Wordsworth in the 1800s uses the words, "The Child is father of the man" which is sexist as it refers to just men. I shall also quote Dr. Maria Montessori who said, "No man exists who was not made by the child he once was". Her work spanned the late 1800s to the mid-1900s. For young people she set up kinders because she recognised the importance of youth work. If one examines past society one can see further examples. Thankfully, we have a Minister who knows, is listening and will work.

The Indecon report was spoken about earlier. In 2009 a report was commissioned by the City of Dublin Youth Services to Catholic Youth Care, Foróige, Youth Work Ireland, financially supported by the Irish Youth Foundation and entitled The Purpose and Outcomes of Youth Work. The Benefits of Youth Work: Young Peoples' and Youth Workers' Perspective was researched by Maurice Devlin, deposited in NUI and has been published. It was prompted by a concern in 2009, when the boom was going to bust, that there was a significant change in the social and economic policy context. I ask Members to realise that there was a concern in 2009. I do not think that the Minister has let anything slip, particularly in the context of what was started in 2009. It is now more important than ever to articulate the distinctive nature of youth work and the benefits are not just for young people, but for adults as well. The benefits of youth work carry on for more than youth, but for adults and for society as a whole.

Much has been said about volunteerism and its benefits. I have written a page on the subject but I shall not say anything more about it because its benefit and value has been recognised. As Senator O'Donnell has said, one cannot put a monetary value on volunteerism.

Youth work is vital for the development of active, engaged and participative citizens.

We know that habits we often have as adults are formed as children. Therefore, early learning and development are pivotal in shaping society's future adults. I am not surprised by the findings of the assessment of the economic value of the youth work project, as published by Indecon. About 25 years ago, a report by Reichardt in America showed the monetary value of youth work. Apart from the value to society, investment in youth work and child care is saving money.

The new Child and Family Support Agency that the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy Frances Fitzgerald, has established recognises this fact. It demonstrates the value of family support and youth work. While we would like to be able to provide more support, we must also cut our cloth according to our measure, that is, according to the funds that are available. The Minister has therefore assessed and evaluated where the money goes.

One Senator mentioned ¤10 being cut from the children's allowance, but it is a question of how that sum is spent. The Minister referred to studies on where the money is going. In addition, Senator D'Arcy mentioned throwing money about like snuff at a wake, which is not the way to do it. The key is getting value for money based on how and where it is spent. One can get no better value than from youth groups, including the scouts movement.

Youth unemployment is being tackled by the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Richard Bruton. He has listed the initiatives being taken in his Department to get young people back to work.