Shane McEntee (Meath, Fine Gael)
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Question 144: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the progress made to date with regard to the implementation of the national youth work development plan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13364/06]

Síle de Valera (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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The national youth work development plan identifies four main goals and proposes some 50 action points to achieve these goals over a five year period. Some €2.12 million has been spent on the plan since its launch in 2003. 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 which was spent on the ongoing support of 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, in 2005 a total of €1.54 million in 2005 was spent on the progressive roll out of the actions recommended in the plan including: the establishment of ten new special projects for disadvantaged youth —€460,000; the upgrade of 20 single worker special projects to two worker projects —€460,000; the review of youth work funding —€72,500; the review of youth information provision and additional youth information support —€52,000 and €20,000 respectively; the continued support of the child protection training programme —€118,000; the establishment of a development fund for youth work organisations —€300,000; the North-South youth work training endorsement panel; and the establishment of a national youth work development unit in NUI, Maynooth.

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.