Youth Work Act, 2001

PART 3

Youth Work Development Plans, Programmes and Services

Youth Work Development Plan.

13.—(1) A vocational education committee shall, at such times and in respect of every period to which subsection (2) relates, prepare a Youth Work Development Plan for its vocational education area.

(2) A Development Plan shall be prepared in respect of the period beginning on the commencement of this section and ending on the last day of the third next financial year and thereafter a Development Plan shall be prepared in respect of each subsequent 3 year period.

(3) A Development Plan prepared in accordance with this section shall be submitted to the Minister for approval as soon as may be after it is prepared.

(4) In preparing a Development Plan, a vocational education committee shall—

(a) specify the youth work requirements of its vocational education area and the measures required to meet the requirements, having particular regard to the youth work requirements of—

(i) persons who have attained the age of 10 years but not 21 years,

(ii) other young persons who are socially or economically disadvantaged, and

(iii) young persons who are living in a Gaeltacht area and/or whose first language is Irish,

(b) have regard to—

(i) all youth work programmes,

(ii) all youth work services in operation, and

(iii) education and other programmes that provide services for young persons,

in its vocational education area,

(c) provide estimates of the financial expenditure required for the implementation of the measures specified under paragraph (a),

(d) provide estimates of its income and financial resources for the purposes of this Act, including the sources of those resources, for each financial year of the period of the Development Plan,

(e) comply with any directions issued by the Minister from time to time, including directions requiring consultation by the vocational education committee with specified persons or bodies, and

(f) consult with the youth work committee for its vocational education area.

(5) A Development Plan is deemed to be adopted when it is approved in writing by the Minister.

(6) The Minister may amend a Development Plan submitted for approval under this section and the vocational education committee shall comply with the Plan as so amended.

(7) Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (4)(a), when specifying measures required to meet youth work requirements, a vocational education committee shall have regard to—

(a) the treatment of both male and female young persons, respectively, in relation to access to youth work, and

(b) the numbers of male and female young persons, respectively, who are likely to participate in the relevant youth work programmes and youth work services.

(8) A vocational education committee shall make available for inspection by members of the public during normal business hours at its principal place of business a copy of the Development Plan for its vocational education area approved under this section by the Minister.