Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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412. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the degree to which she continues to engage with youth organisations in the context of meeting the requirements of children and young persons in general; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48304/13]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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My Department supports the delivery of a range of youth work programmes and services for young people including those from disadvantaged communities, by the voluntary youth sector. In 2013, funding of €53.498m, including €1.75m for a new capital funding programme, has been provided to support national and local youth work provision to some 400,000 young people involving approximately 1,400 paid staff and 40,000 volunteers working in youth work services and communities throughout the country.

Ongoing engagement and dialogue with the youth sector organisations and with young people themselves are priorities in the development of the policies and services to support young people’s development and learning.

The National Youth Work Advisory Committee, appointed by me in January 2013, includes the key national youth organisations, that work directly with young people. The Committee, which also includes representatives of Government departments, the Education and Training Boards and other statutory agencies involved in youth matters, has an important advisory role to me on issues to do with how youth work practice and services can better meet the requirements of young people.

My Department has regular engagement with members of the youth sector organisations in the development of policy initiatives that impact on young people. At this time, members of youth sector organisations are contributing to the development of the Children and Young Peoples’ Policy Framework, my Department’s new strategy for children and young people. They are also engaged with my Department in relation to the potential contribution of the youth sector to the measures to implement the Youth Guarantee. The National Youth Council of Ireland has a lead role in carrying out the EU structured dialogue process with young people in Ireland and the youth sector are represented on the National Steering Committee chaired by my Department.

It is planned that youth organisations will have a significant role in the new youth strategy which is being developed in my Department for completion in 2014. The next stage of the development of the youth strategy will include a consultation process with youth organisations, other youth stakeholders and young people themselves. I, and officials of my Department have met, and continue to meet, regularly with many youth organisations and groups to see how we can work together to bring about the best possible outcomes for young people, having regard to resources available to us and to ensure that the programmes and services being provided are relevant and responsive to young people’s needs.