asked the Minister for Labour if he will provide funds to ensure the continuance of the development officers scheme to enable regional councils of youth clubs to employ full-time youth officers.

15.

asked the Minister for Labour if he is aware of the serious consequences for youth organisations if funding is withdrawn from the development officers scheme for the appointment of full-time youth workers; and if the Government will review their decision with a view to establishing the scheme on a permanent basis.

16.

asked the Minister for Labour if he will ensure the continued appointment of development officers in view of his recent commitment to youth organisations to expand and develop their role in society.

17.

asked the Minister for Labour if he will provide funds to retain two youth officers in County Kerry who are serving 38 youth clubs which have an average membership of 150.

18.

asked the Minister for Labour if, in view of the success of the youth development officers scheme over the past four years, he will now make funds available to continue and expand this scheme on a permanent basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

19.

asked the Minister for Labour whether it is his intention to suspend the development officer scheme which has been in operation for some time.

20.

asked the Minister for Labour if he proposes to continue the youth development officers scheme, in view of the importance of the scheme for youth organisations.

21.

asked the Minister for Labour if he intends to continue funding the development officer scheme attached to voluntary service international.

22.

asked the Minister for Labour if he will re-consider the decision to discontinue the youth development officer scheme as a matter of urgency in view of the Government's commitment to respond to the needs of young people.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 14 to 22, inclusive, together.

In keeping with the Government's firm commitments in the youth area, provision is being made for the continued employment of youth development officers on a permanent basis.

In view of the commitments could the Minister explain the reason why for several weeks the decision in respect of development officers was that they could not be kept in employment? Could he also inform the House if the resources which had been requested by these youth officers are being made available by the Department?

The whole question of the youth development officers was, as Deputy Mac Giolla reminded us, the subject of an Adjournment Debate in the House recently. At that time I stated accurately — and I resent any suggestion to the contrary from Deputy Mac Giolla — that only two decisions had been made by the Government in respect of the development officer scheme: first, to increase the level of support for it officially from the £5,000, at which it stood for four years, to a sum of £7,000; and secondly, to continue the status quo until the end of this year, thus continuing in employment 11 officers who otherwise would have lost their jobs had the original scheme been adhered to.

From the time I took office I was approached by a number of youth organisations and asked what our intentions were and at all stages it was made clear to them that no final decision could be taken until the Government came to consider the Estimates for next year. The House is aware that the Government are engaged in that process and I am happy to say that, arising from that process, this scheme, which up to now has been of a temporary and ad hoc nature, will in future be permanent.

Could the Minister inform us how many youth development officers will be financed under this scheme? Will there be any decrease?

There will be no decrease.

Will there be room for further improvement?

We need all that we have at the moment.

Will there be any increase?

This scheme was a temporary one. The concern among youth organisations was that what had previously been temporary should be put on a permanent footing and I am glad that the Government took a decision to that effect. The question of the future development of youth services is obviously an approach to be considered by the committee now sitting under the chairmanship of Mr. Justice Declan Costello.

The Minister refers to the concern of youth clubs. Will he agree that there is a grave concern in the community at large and among community associations at the reluctance of the Government to take a positive decision?

That does not seem to be a question.

The Government took such a decision in relation to the development officer scheme since taking office, firstly, to increase the level of support from £5,000 to £7,000. The existing level of support had remained unchanged for four years and this was proving a millstone around the necks of many of those voluntary organisations who employed those officers. Secondly, as I said earlier, we took a decision to keep in employment those whose employment would otherwise be terminated. Lastly, I am glad to say that we were in the position to respond and to make what had up to now been a temporary scheme permanent.