Derek Nolan (Galway West, Labour)
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143. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide an estimated timeframe for when the youth guarantee scheme will be implemented; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48051/14]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Implementation of the Youth Guarantee is a medium-term policy of the Irish Government. It is envisaged that the guarantee as it affects those aged under 18 years will be implemented within 2 years, i.e. by the end of 2015. The guarantee of an offer of training, education or work experience for those aged 18-24 years after a four month period should be implemented on a phased basis.

Starting in 2014, and for completion by the end of 2015, processes and programmes will be progressively rolled out to ensure that all of those young unemployed people who need most support (i.e. are assessed as having a low probability of securing employment in the absence of support from the Public Employment Services) will receive a Youth Guarantee offer within four months.

These new and existing initiatives will provide 28,000 plus places for unemployed young people during 2014 (this figure excludes apprenticeship and PLC places).

Approximately 20,400 of these places had been taken up at the end of November. The table appended to this reply details the total take-up for the year-to-date, together with the estimate for full-year intake provided in the Youth Guarantee Implementation Plan.

Some of the initiatives planned under the guarantee required primary legislation to allow positive discrimination on age grounds in the provision of employment services and supports. This legislation was enacted as part of the Social Welfare Bill over the summer. Two schemes in particular, the Youth Guarantee developmental internship programme and the JobsPlus variant for young people (supporting young unemployed at risk of becoming long-term unemployed who have been signing on the Live Register for 4 months), were dependent on this legislation being passed. These schemes were announced in November and will be implemented in full during 2015. The legislation also permits the introduction of earlier and more intensive engagement by INTREO with the young unemployed that should also translate increased placement on schemes covered by the Youth Guarantee. Processes to give effect to this engagement are currently being implemented by the Department.