Youth Work Act, 2001

Provision of programmes and services where none currently provided.

11.—(1) Where a vocational education committee considers that a youth work programme or a youth work service is required to be provided in its vocational education area but it is not being provided, the vocational education committee shall—

(a) publish a notice in at least 2 newspapers circulating in the vocational education area inviting organisations in its vocational education area to submit a proposal for the provision of that youth work programme or youth work service specifying in the proposal such information as the vocational education committee may require concerning the provision of the programme or service, and

(b) assess, in accordance with such guidelines or regulations as may be issued or made by the Minister, and following consultation with the youth work committee for the vocational education area concerned, the suitability of the proposals submitted in accordance with paragraph (a).

(2) Where the vocational education committee decides, after considering all proposals submitted to it under subsection (1), that none is suitable for the purposes of providing the youth work programme or youth work service concerned, it shall prepare a report regarding that decision and, by notice in writing, inform each organisation that submitted the proposals of its decision and the reasons for its decision.

(3) An organisation may, within the period of 21 days beginning on the date when a notice under subsection (2) is given to it, make such representations to the vocational education committee as it considers appropriate and the vocational education committee shall, within a period of 2 months beginning on the date when they were made, consider the representations.

(4) A vocational education committee may, following consideration of representations, if any, made under subsection (3)

(a) reject the proposals and inform the organisation concerned of its decision, or

(b) accept the proposals, inform the organisation of its decision and allow the organisation to provide the youth work programme or youth work service.

(5) A vocational education committee may, pursuant to a resolution of the committee, provide a youth work programme or a youth work service in respect of which a proposal has been rejected under subsection (4)(a).

(6) A vocational education committee which provides a youth work programme or youth work service under subsection (5)

(a) shall not continue to provide the programme or service for a period in excess of 3 years from the date of commencement of its provision unless it is satisfied that there is no organisation that can and is prepared to make suitable arrangements for its provision, and

(b) shall, before the end of the second year and every 3 years thereafter of providing the programme or service, apply the procedure set out in subsection (1) for the purpose of ascertaining whether suitable arrangements, as referred to in paragraph (a), can be made for its provision.