Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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596. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the sections of the Youth Work Act 2001 that have been commenced; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25270/13]

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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597. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will provide details of the proposed Action 231 in the National Action Plan for Jobs and the proposal to develop a new Youth Policy Framework and the timeframe for same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25271/13]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 596 and 597 together.

The Youth Work Act was introduced in 2001 and outlines a number of structural arrangements for the organisation and administration of youth work policy and provision. To date, Sections 2-7, 17, 18 and 24 of the Act have been commenced. In particular, Sections 17 and 18 provide for the establishment of a National Youth Work Advisory Committee (NYWAC). In this regard, I appointed a new Advisory Committee with effect from 28 January 2013 for a period of one year. Its work is currently focussing on the contribution of youth work to youth policy and youth employment.

Action 231 in the National Action Plan for Jobs identifies the requirement to develop a new Youth Policy Framework to review youth funding schemes to ensure that youth work and the non-formal education sector contribute effectively to youth employment, including skills development and experimental learning opportunities for individuals and groups of young people.

My Department is developing a new strategy for children and young people. In keeping with my Department’s responsibilities for children and young people, this new five-year Children and Young People’s Policy Framework is being developed in a holistic way which will comprehend the continuum of the life-course from infancy through to early and middle childhood, adolescence and early adulthood. It will be the overarching Framework under which policy and services for children and young people will be developed and implemented in the State.

The overarching Framework will provide the basis for more detailed strategies including a new youth policy framework. This youth policy framework, for publication later this year, will aim to enhance the provision of youth services and activities and in making them more responsive to meeting the needs of young people, including in addressing the challenge of youth employment. It is intended that the Youth Work Act, 2001 will be reviewed in the context of developing this specific Framework. I am consulting with the NYWAC in this regard and in particular in identifying in what ways the youth sector can contribute to shared policy objectives to address youth employment.