asked the Minister for Labour if any health board or local authority applied to the Youth Employment Agency to fund job creation; if so, if they were refused; and the reason for the refusal.

In examining applications for assistance the Youth Employment Agency consider whether the activity in question could more appropriately be performed under an existing programme or by another agency. In addition, the agency ensure that no residual commitments devolve on themselves after the planned termination date of a project. Applications from health boards and local authorities would be considered in the light of the policy I have outlined.

As regards local authorities, substantial amounts of money have been allocated to provide employment of a temporary nature under the, Environmental Works (Youth Employment) Scheme. While a number of authorities would have approached the agency with project submissions, it would be normal agency practice, in accordance with the policy stated to direct the authorities to the Department of the Environment who administers the environment works scheme.

With regard to applications by health boards for funding towards job creation, the agency recently received a direct application from the North Western Health Board in relation to financial support for the permanent staffing of a community nursing unit in Buncrana, County Donegal. Having regard to the policy outlined, this proposal was refused. I might add that, following recent discussdions between the agency and the Department of Health, approximately £0.5 million has been set aside for the latter part of 1983 to cover increased activity in the health area based on existing employment programmes. Programmes have now been agreed and are shortly to commence.

What type of programmes have been agreed? Are the same facilities and the same money available to all the health boards?

The Deputy will recall from his own period in the Department of Labour that the Department of Health expressed an interest in getting a temporary employment scheme off the ground. The Department of Health will not have their own scheme, but existing schemes will be utilised when extra funds are being made available specifically for the health area and for all the health boards.

In view of the Minister's reply about the health boards, will the jobs being created or provided for in the health area be permanent or temporary? Have the Youth Employment Agency created any permanent jobs since their establishment?

The agency have created some 500 permanent jobs. We are talking about the extension of existing temporary employment schemes and temporary training schemes of one nature or another, and targeting them directly at the health area.

Is it not true to say that basically the agency are performing a training function and AnCO are already in existence to do that job?

No. The Youth Employment Agency have a co-ordinated role in relation to all the existing temporary employment and training schemes. In addition, they have a job creation role and are carving a very distinctive niche for themselves in that area through the community and youth enterprise programme and a number of other programmes launched by us in the past couple of months.

I consider 500 jobs is a very poor effort.