Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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86. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 80 of 22 March 2018, the status of the proposed engagement with the community and voluntary pillar; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25886/18]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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As previously advised, in previous years, under the arrangements in place for the Social Partnership process, officials in my Department met on a regular basis with the Community and Voluntary Pillar to discuss educational issues raised by that sector. A series of bilateral meetings took place between Officials in my Department and the Community and Voluntary (C&V) Pillar over a number of years. The last such meeting took place in November 2015.

In recent years engagement with members of the C&V Pillar has taken place either bilaterally or largely through the structures established to implement Better Outcomes Brighter Futures, the National Policy Framework for Children and Young People 2014-2020.

Following on from the Deputy's recent question regarding this matter, my officials have made contact with the Community and Voluntary pillar and have requested the pillar to submit an agenda of the topics they wish to discuss with my Department. Once this has been received, a date will be arranged for further engagement between the C&V pillar and the relevant officials in order to cover the issues raised.