Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

174. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if it is a requirement for a Youthreach resource person to be a member of the Teaching Council for employment within a Youthreach centre or a centre of education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15114/17]

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

175. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his views on whether it is acceptable that students who attend Youthreach are taught by staff who are not deemed to be teachers by his Department and the ETBs; his further views on whether it is acceptable for vulnerable and socially disadvantaged students to be taught by two different grades; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15115/17]

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

176. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will examine the difference between the rate of pay and conditions between teachers, co-ordinators and resource persons who deliver the same work in the classroom regarding Youthreach; his views on whether the different conditions should be standardised upwards in the interests of equal pay for equal work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15116/17]

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

177. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the fact that students may not be able to achieve certification in view of the fact they are taught by non-teachers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15117/17]

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 174 to 177, inclusive, together.

Youthreach is an education and training programme delivered in out of school settings to young people aged 16 – 20 who have left the mainstream school system early.  It is a further education programme operated by Education and Training Boards (ETBs). The programme aims to provide young people with the knowledge, skills and confidence to participate fully in society and progress to further education, training and employment. 

The staff in Youthreach is made up of Youthreach Co-ordinators, Youthreach Resource Persons and teachers. Youthreach Co-ordinators and Resource Persons have their own terms and conditions and are a separate grade to teachers.  Accordingly, they do not require to be registered with the Teaching Council, which is the body with statutory authority under the Teaching Council Acts 2001-2015 for the professional regulation, including registration, of teachers in the State.  In addition, Section 30 of the Teaching Council Act, 2001 does not apply to Youthreach Centres as they do not fall within the definition of recognised school.

The pay and conditions of Youthreach Co-ordinators and Resource Persons were set by an Arbitration Board in December 1998 which decided that the pay of Youthreach workers should be adjusted in line with those applicable under the Community Workshop Agreement.  This aligns Youthreach staff with staff in Community Training Centres (CTCs). CTCs provide education and training to a similar age cohort of learner under the global Youthreach umbrella.

The Youthreach programme requires staff who are flexible, multi disciplined and experienced.  While relevant qualifications are desirable, no qualifications are specified for staff working in the programme.  This is intended to give ETBs maximum flexibility to recruit staff with the combination of personal qualities and professional skills most likely to meet the often complex needs of participating learners.

Teachers are also employed in Youthreach and it is a matter for each ETB to decide on the staff required for the programme being delivered in their Youthreach centres. 

Certification is available to all learners in Youthreach mainly at levels 1-4 on the Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) Framework.