David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 91: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number and location of Youthreach projects throughout the country; the number of teachers and the number of young people enrolled in the project in each Youthreach centre; the budget allocation for Youthreach services in 2005 and 2006 respectively; the distribution of same; her plans to further develop the service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25990/06]

Síle de Valera (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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The Youthreach Programme is an Inter-Departmental initiative which provides two years integrated education, training and work experience to young people aged 15-20 years who are at least six months in the labour market and who have left school early without any qualifications or vocational training.

The programme funded by my Department is delivered in out of school centres and is managed by Vocational Education Committees (VECs). There are a total of ninety Youthreach Centres throughout the country and I will arrange for a list of these centres together with the number of approved places in each centre to be forwarded separately to the Deputy. The information on staffing in Youthreach centres is not maintained centrally in my Department as staffing of Youthreach centres is a matter for Vocational Education Committees.

Pay and non-pay expenditure on the programme in 2005 was €45,334,433. In fact, provision for the non-pay component is being increased in 2006 by almost 8%. This funding is allocated to VEC's based on the number of learners and centres in their area. Additional expenditure of €1,487,204 was made to VEC's in 2005 in respect of rent of premises for Youthreach centres and funding of at least this amount has been made available for this purpose in 2006. In addition, my Department provides funding to VEC's annually to assist towards the child care expenses of participants in Youthreach, Traveller Training Centres and VTOS (The Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme). The financial provision towards child care assistance for participants in Youthreach and other programmes in 2005 was €5.4 million and similar provision towards child care funding will be available in 2006.

There is provision for 1,000 additional places in Youthreach (by 2009) in the recent Social Partnership Draft Agreement 2006-2015 — Towards 2016.