Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 218: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the length of time the Youthreach project has been on a pilot basis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15503/07]

Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Youthreach Programme is an Inter-Departmental initiative launched in 1988, 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 is funded by my Department and delivered in out-of-school centres and is managed by Vocational Education Committees (VECs). There are a total of 90 Youthreach Centres managed by the VEC sector throughout the country.

Overall, there are about 6,500 places available nationally at present, 3,250 of which are in the VEC sector and the remainder are in Community Training Centres under the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. The Social Partnership Agreement 2006-2015, "Towards 2016", provides a commitment to increase places on the Youthreach programme in my Department by 1,000 by the end of 2009. The Estimates for 2007 included funding for 400 of those new places to be provided this year and I have recently announced the allocation of those 400 new places. This brings the overall total number of places available in the VEC sector to over 3,600.

Youthreach is not regarded as a pilot programme. The continued operation of the programme in a particular area is based on the continued need for an alternative provision to mainstream schooling to cater for early school leavers. Basic skills training, practical work training and general education are features of the programme. The application of new technology is integrated into all aspects of programme content. The programme lays a strong emphasis on personal development, and on the core skills of literacy/numeracy, communications and IT, along with a choice of vocational options, such as Catering, Hairdressing, Computers, Woodwork, Photography, Video, Sports, Art and Craft and a work experience programme.

My Department is currently also in the process of rolling out an initiative on a pilot basis in twenty centres to meet the special educational needs of students attending Youthreach. Expenditure on the programme in 2006 by my Department was close to €52 million. In addition, the Department provides funding to VECs annually to assist towards the child care expenses of participants in Youthreach.