Is the Minister aware of a certain anxiety within the Youth Employment Agency lest their job creation activities, for example, the marketplace programme for science graduates, could be impaired if they found themselves caught up in the Jobsearch programme and if there was any pressure on them to make their selections exclusively from within the Jobsearch pool, to use Deputy Quinn's phrase.

I am so aware. I have met the chief executive of the agency to discuss that possibility and to try to ensure it does not happen.

Can the Minister assure the House that there will be no pressure on the Youth Employment Agency to restrict themselves in their selection of people for programmes such as marketplace science programmes and so on.

I cannot assure the House now because the Deputy was probably informed before I was. My meeting with the agency took place only some hours ago so I congratulate the Deputy on his efficiency.

Would the Minister not agree that the whole principle of the freedom of selection in order to ensure quality and, consequently, success is paramount to the basis of Deputy Birmingham's question——

Yes.

——and will he take whatever steps are necessary to ensure that in order to let them achieve that target they are not forced to accept other standards?

I will.