Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Ireland’s recently published National Policy Framework for Children and Young People recognises the important role of youth work services in supporting young people to thrive and fully develop their potential. It acknowledges the important ongoing reform programme and further commits to the development of a new Youth Services Action Plan to provide a strategic direction for the delivery of youth services over the lifetime of the Framework.

Informed by extensive consultation, work is at an advanced stage in developing this document, which will focus on ensuring we have high-quality, inclusive and accessible youth work services and opportunities that support young people from all backgrounds to develop their potential and positively shape their own and our shared future.

I hope to be in a position to publish the Action Plan in April 2024. Agreed measures will be costed and submitted for funding in line with the usual Budgetary processes.

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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The importance of having and retaining well trained youth workers has been raised by youth organisations and referenced in the report referred to by the Deputy.

I recognise that we need to ensure that we continue to have sufficient numbers of well trained and supported youth workers and volunteers so to have high quality and accessible youth services. It is important that we address the workforce development issue in a data-informed and strategic way, and with the involvement of key stakeholders. My Department plans to establish a stakeholder group to progress workforce development in the coming months.