Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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117. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if the issue of youth unemployment falls within the remit of a Cabinet sub-committee; the Departments and Ministries under which that responsibility for addressing youth unemployment falls; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2195/14]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The issue of youth unemployment falls within the remit of the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Labour Market Issues chaired by the Taoiseach.

As I have just pointed out in response to an earlier question the Government strategy to address unemployment is to create the environment for a strong economic recovery by promoting competitiveness and productivity and to implement measures to keep jobseekers, including young jobseekers, close to the labour market and to this end, youth unemployment is being specifically targeted through our Youth Guarantee initiative.

The Department of Social Protection (DSP) has been identified as the lead co-ordinating Department for tackling youth unemployment and for the implementation of the youth guarantee, and as the central point for communication with the European Commission in relation to the youth guarantee in Ireland. The Department has responsibility for the Public Employment Service, activation of the unemployed and the payment of social welfare payments to jobseekers. These three services were previously provided by separate agencies but are now integrated within the Department and are provided under the service name – Intreo.

The main departments working alongside DSP in tackling unemployment are:-

- the Department of Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation (DJEI), responsible for overall employment policy through the Action Plan for Jobs, to provide jobs for all, including young people, including through the promotion of entrepreneurship ; As part of the Youth Guarantee DJEI will allocate €2.5m from the Micro-finance Ireland fund to youth entrepreneurship activities

- the Department of Education & Skills (DES), and its relevant agencies including SOLAS and the Higher Education Authority. DES has statutory responsibility for the funding, provision, and content of education and training programmes;. DES also has responsibility for EU funding for youth guarantee initiatives through the European Social Fund (ESF) and the Youth Employment Initiative. Also as part of the Youth Guarantee DES will reserve 2,000 places on the Momentum programme for young people.

- the Department of Children & Youth Affairs (DCYA), responsible for state policy and provision on youth work services, and for securing good educational and welfare outcomes for young people through the National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB);

- the Department of Public Expenditure & Reform (DPER), responsible for overseeing exchequer funding and ensuring that Youth Guarantee-related programmes will be thoroughly evaluated and will provide value for money.