Written answers
Tuesday, 25 June 2013
Department of Education and Skills
Unemployment Statistics
Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
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233. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the amount as a percentage and as a figure, of Ireland's total both EU and Government part-funding ESF spending in the past seven years that was spent specifically on youth unemployment initiatives or youth only programmes. [30377/13]
Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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The European Social Fund (ESF) is administered in Ireland through the Human Capital Investment Operational Programme 2007-2013 (HCI OP), an agreement between Ireland and the EU. The Programme comprises a €751 million plan that addresses Ireland's labour market and human capital development needs for the period 2007-2013. The Programme consists of twelve distinct areas of investment which contribute to the Programme's overall objectives. These are shown on the Table below.
All of the Activities funded within the HCI OP support youth (i.e. persons aged below 25 years), but they vary depending on the objectives of the individual Activity. Three of the Activities provide services that are 100% youth orientated; these are Youthreach, and two Garda Youth Diversion Programmes. A number of others provide services that are over 80% focussed on youth or attended by youth; these are Undergraduate Skills and Third Level Access (which is comprised of two separate funds namely the Student Assistance Fund and the Fund for Students with Disabilities). The remaining Activities vary between 8% and approx 50%. See table below.
During the year 2012, the total number of persons supported by the HCI OP was 155,210. The total number of youth for the same period was 52,999, or 34% of the total number of persons.
The total cumulative expenditure for the HCI OP for the years 2007 to 2012 is €446.68 million. Approximately 30% of all the persons supported under the HCI OP during the years 2007-12 are youth. Therefore, the corresponding expenditure amount spent on youth during the 2007-2012 period is €134 million.
HCI OP total expenditure for the years 2007 to 2012
| Activities | ESF | Public match funding | Total Expenditure | Percentage % for youth 2012 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| YOUTH ONLY | - | - | - | - |
| YouthReach and Travellers | € 31,176,912 | € 31,176,912 | €62,353,824 | 100 |
| Garda Youth Diversion - IT Skills/Per Dev | € 397,920 | € 397,920 | € 795,840 | 100 |
| Garda Youth Diversion - Additional Workers | €7,183,588 | €7,183,588 | € 14,367,176 | 100 |
| OTHER ACTIVITIES - INCLUDES YOUTH | - | - | - | - |
| Undergraduate Skills | € 15,699,342 | € 15,699,342 | €31,398,684 | 88 |
| Third Level Access | € 10,185,488 | € 10,185,488 | € 20,370,976 | 81 |
| Labour Market Activation Fund | € 6,625,000 | € 6,625,000 | €13,250,000 | 54 |
| Skills Training for the unemployed | € 85,215,666 | € 85,215,666 | € 170,431,332 | 40 |
| Integration of Migrants | €500,421 | €500,421 | € 1,000,842 | 35 |
| Disability Activation Project | € 468,867 | € 468,867 | € 937,734 | 17 |
| Back to Education Initiative | € 15,534,004 | € 15,534,004 | € 31,068,008 | 15 |
| Equality Mainstreaming | €1,204,696 | €1,204,696 | € 2,409,392 | 10 |
| Positive Actions to Promote Gender Equality | € 2,758,100 | € 2,758,100 | € 5,516,200 | 10 |
| Adult Literacy | €45,476,628 | €45,476,628 | €90,953,256 | 8 |
| Technical Assistance for OP | € 652,912 | € 652,912 | € 1,305,824 | 0 |
| Technical Assistance for Positive Actions | € 260,023 | € 260,023 | € 520,046 | 0 |
| TOTAL expenditure for HCI OP 2007 to 2012 | €223,339,567 | €223,339,567 | €446,679,134 | - |
| - | - | - | - | Average % for 2007 to 2012 |
| Total for Youth (under 25 years) for 2007-2012 | €67,001,870 | € 67,001,870 | €134,003,740 | 30% |
1. Transnational – this refers to transnational and interregional actions between Member States through the sharing of information, experiences, results and good practices, and through developing complementary approaches and coordinated or joint action.
2. The new Labour Market Education and Training Fund programme is the Momentum Programme, which commenced in early 2013. The Programme will provide training and education courses to approx. 6,500 unemployed persons, of which 1,000 places are reserved for youth (under 25’s). Currently, the percentage of youth registered for Momentum courses is 31.7%.
3. Technical Assistance is utilised to support the management of the HCI OP.
4. Technical Assistance for Positive Actions is providing support to the operation of the Gender Equality projects.
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