Jillian van Turnhout (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I acknowledge the role of the Minister for Social Protection in bringing about the youth guarantee. The key point is that the youth guarantee does exactly what it says on the tin. It delivers a quality education training and-or work experience opportunity to young jobseekers within four months of their becoming unemployed. There are many issues I could raise here but given the time limit I will focus on five key questions. We do need a debate, and I hope that happens in the new year. I regret that I had to resort to tabling a matter on the Adjournment because during the debate on the social welfare Bill the Minister gave a commitment to coming back to the House and on more than one occasion I requested that she come back to the House.

The first question relates to funding. Can the Minister provide any clarity on the overall financial envelope that the Government plans to invest in the youth guarantee in 2014 and 2015? The Taoiseach mentioned a figure of €100 million per annum following the recent summit on youth unemployment held by President Hollande of France. Is there any clarity on the budget?

A recent OECD report noted that there is only one case worker per 800 unemployed persons of all ages, which is twice the Nordic average. Will the Irish plan invest in job counselling and guidance?

Young jobseekers are not a homogeneous group. We have heard about literacy and many other problems. Can the Minister give us some detail on the range of provision to meet the different needs of young jobseekers? Will there be new initiatives or is the Government merely planning to top up existing programmes?

Even if there were sufficient places available tomorrow some young people who have literacy issues, poor prior experience of formal education, substance misuse, family difficulties or long-term unemployment may need additional support to engage in activation measures. Will the Minister confirm that the Irish plan will provide a way to ensure that the contribution of the youth work organisations and the youth work sector can be enhanced and harnessed because it has been proved that they can reach these young jobseekers?

I am sure the Minister will agree that the youth guarantee cannot be delivered by the Government alone. I welcome the fact that the Department of Social Protection held a stakeholder forum on 14 October last and invited written submissions. The organisations that were consulted are concerned by the lack of information since then on the Irish plan, which we know must be submitted by the end of the year. Will the Minister commit to engaging with stakeholders in early 2014 on the plan? Will there be a further stakeholder forum where the details of the plan can be discussed? Will the Minister return as she promised in this House on 7 November last and engage with the Members of the Seanad on this issue of the youth guarantee and Ireland’s plan?

I am aware that the Minister of State, Deputy McGinley, is in a difficult position because the Minister for Social Protection is not here but can the Minister outline the governance and oversight of the implementation of the youth guarantee in Ireland and confirm that it will be along the lines of the Ballymun pilot, with involvement of key stakeholders?