Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Question 146: To ask the Minister for Education and Science her plans to further implement the Youth Work Act 2001 in 2006; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5727/06]

Síle de Valera (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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The Youth Work Act 2001 provides a legal framework for the provision of youth work programmes and services to be organised by the Minister for Education and Science, the vocational education committees, and national and major regional youth work organisations. Section 1 of the Act provides for sections to be commenced at different stages. Sections 2 to 7 and sections 17, 18 and 24 have been commenced to date. My Department, together with youth work interests, both voluntary and statutory, have been developing the groundwork, including detailed guidelines and procedures, which are essential to the further roll out of the Act in a planned and structured manner.

As a priority for 2005, I identified the capacity development of youth work organisations to assist them in preparing themselves organisationally for the implementation of the Act. To this end, I established a development fund of €300,000 for youth work organisations specifically for 2005 to help them achieve the new standards for approval and engage effectively with the new structures arising from the Youth Work Act 2001. It is my intention that this fund will continue in 2006 and I have sought the advice of the national youth work advisory committee on priority areas for development of youth work organisations in 2006.

Another area to which I attach importance is the capacity development of vocational education committees to carry out the responsibilities set out for them in the Act. Discussions, which have been ongoing in this regard, are at an advanced stage and nearing completion. This important development will enable vocational education committees to assume specific new responsibilities, including the planning and coordination of youth work programmes and services in their areas.

In addition, significant progress has been made with regard to the appointment of an assessor of youth work. This appointment has been identified as a priority in the national youth work development plan 2003-2007. This post was advertised in December 2005 and interviews are due to commence soon with a view to an early appointment. This post is viewed by all involved in youth work, both in the statutory and voluntary sectors, as an essential step forward.

Another key component for the progression of youth work in Ireland is the national youth work development plan. This plan identifies four main goals and proposes some 50 action points to achieve these goals over a five year period. To date, a number of priority action areas have been addressed. In 2003, €80,000 was spent on the implementation of a child protection training programme for the sector. In 2004, €500,000 was made available for the roll out of the plan and was spent on further support for the child protection training programme, development of projects funded under the special projects for youth scheme and increased support to youth information centres and the youth information support partnership.

Building on these initiatives, further progress also continues to be made in the following areas: the establishment of ten new special projects for disadvantaged youth in 2005; the upgrade of 20 single worker special projects to two worker projects in 2005; a review of youth work funding, which is nearing completion; a review of youth information provision, which is nearing completion; continued support of the child protection training programme; continued support of the development fund for youth work organisations; the successful launch of the joint North-South education and training standards committee in Armagh by the Minister of State at the Department of Education and Science with special responsibility for adult education, youth affairs and educational disadvantage, Deputy Síle de Valera, and Minister Angela Smith, Department of Education, Northern Ireland; and continued groundwork for the establishment of the national youth work development unit in the National University of Ireland, Maynooth.

It is intended that further sections of the Act will be implemented on a progressive and phased basis as resources, both human and financial, permit. I am confident that the progressive roll out of the Youth Work Act 2001 will serve to enhance programmes and services for young people at local, regional and national level. Further action areas for development in 2006 and 2007 are being determined by my Department with the advice of the national youth work advisory committee.