Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 400: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if the validation for persons wishing to be youth workers here still comes from England; if she has plans to make this validation available here; and if she will consider attempting to make the process for validation an all-Ireland one. [7662/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Youth work training providers in the Republic of Ireland have, up to now, sought professional endorsement from education and training standards committees, ETS, in England and Wales. The National Youth Work Development Plan 2003-2007 proposes as a priority action that a youth work validation body, now termed endorsement panel, should be established with the purpose of developing a comprehensive framework for accreditation and certification in youth work, taking into account the provisions of the Qualifications (Education and Training) Act 1999 and the need for accessible and flexible progression routes for both volunteers and paid workers.

The national youth work advisory committee, NYWAC, further proposed that this panel be established on a partnership basis with youth work organisations and interests in Northern Ireland where new arrangements for the validation of youth work training are also being implemented.

Following a submission from NYWAC in December 2004, I have approved of the proposals made in respect of this initiative. My Department is actively pursuing the matter with the relevant agencies involved in Northern Ireland and the UK.