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Dáil
‹ Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation

Youth affairs departmental transfer

Summary

Aidan Farrelly welcomes youth affairs’ move into the Department of Education and Youth and asks that it become permanent. The Taoiseach supports the move and its closer connection with education and youth services.

After the Government was formed, the new Department of Education and Youth brought youth over from what was a very busy Department. In the main, this was met with positive feedback from youth workers on the ground. As the Taoiseach knows, youth and youth affairs have transitioned between many Departments over the years. Let us hope that its new home becomes something of a permanent move.

The Taoiseach will agree that youth workers are doing incredibly important work in our communities for young people, be that in terms of personal and social development, building relationships or informal education. If the Taoiseach does not have an answer for me today, he might ask the Minister, Deputy McEntee, to revert to me. Does the Government intend to publish a timeline for the development of the implementation plan for opportunities for youth, which is the youth work strategy?

Comment on this

I will ask the Minister. I have been a supporter of the move of youth back into the Department of education and was involved in that in the programme for Government talks. When I was Minister for Education and Science, youth affairs was part of the Department. The VECs, in particular, did very good work with various youth organisations. I would like to see the ETBs continue that sort of work. There is a continuum between education and youth and an area between the two. Youthreach programmes have been developed. We get a better kind of holistic approach to the development of young people, so I think it is a good thing. I will ask the Minister to reply to the Deputy regarding the opportunities he mentioned.

Comment on this