Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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228. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to set out the annual amount allocated to Ireland under the youth employment initiative in each year since it commenced; the amount that was expended in each year subsequently and to date in 2018; the projects that have been allocated funding in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48876/18]

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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229. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to set out the annual amount allocated to Ireland under the European Social Fund education and training ErasmusPro and the Youth Employment Initiative budgets for 2014 to 2018 by employment and training, apprenticeships of young persons; and the amount that was expended in each of the areas in each of the years 2014 to 2017 and to date in 2018. [48877/18]

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 228 and 229 together.

The Youth Employment Initiative (YEI) is integrated into European Social Fund (ESF) programming as a dedicated priority axis within the ESF Programme for Employability, Inclusion and Learning 2014-2020 (PEIL). The specific YEI allocation for Ireland of €68 m (for 2014 and 2015) is matched by equal amounts from our ESF allocation and from the Exchequer, giving an overall allocation of €204m. Ireland was not eligible for an additional allocation under the second YEI allocation arising from the mid-term revision of the Multi-annual Financial Framework in 2017.

All ESF activities, including YEI activities, are fully funded up-front by the Exchequer with the EU (ESF/YEI) funding being claimed in arrears. Seven activities were originally selected for YEI funding namely, the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance (BTWEA); JobBridge; JobsPlus; Momentum; Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP); Tús; and Youthreach. Improvements in the rate of youth unemployment coupled with the discontinuance of the JobBridge and Momentum schemes had consequences for the expenditure expected on YEI activities. Consequently, the Programme Monitoring Committee agreed to the inclusion of the Community Training Centres; the Defence Forces Employment Support Scheme (DFESS) and the Youth Employment Support Scheme (YESS) under the YEI. At the same time, the Committee agreed to the removal of the Tús, JobBridge and the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme from the YEI, having unsuccessfully explored the potential to use Simplified Cost Option models and/or in the light of audit trail difficulties. The current gross allocations under the YEI for the activities are:

With regard to Erasmus PRO, Leargas has advised that to date, €780,430 has been awarded to 5 projects representing 110 learner mobilities broken down as follows:

- 2015 awarded € 25,391 for 4 long term learner mobilities;

- 2016 awarded € 62,836 for 10 long term learner mobilities;

- 2017 awarded € 157,918 for 24 long term learner mobilities;

- 2017 awarded € 169,800 for 27 long term learner mobilities; and

- 2018 awarded € 364,485 for 45 long term learner mobilities

In addition Leargas currently had 1 project application on assessment for the October 2018 round which if included would bring the total to €880,283 in respect of 122 learner mobilities.