To ask the Minister of Education how he will ensure the effective and efficient delivery of youth services that are undertaken by the Youth Council Northern Ireland following his decision to abolish this organisation.

I announced the way forward for funding and support for youth services in my statement to the Assembly on 10 December on the future of the Youth Council. The Education Authority will now review its arrangements for youth services to ensure that the planning and coordination of all youth services funded by the Department of Education from 1 April 2016 are delivered effectively in line with current Ministerial priorities and Priorities for youth.

I also outlined my intention to establish a Partnership, chaired by my Department, involving the Education Authority and other key stakeholders.

The overall purpose of the Partnership is to support the implementation of the new arrangements for administration and funding of regional youth services; secure full integration of regional and local youth services within the Education Authority; ensure that the key knowledge and understanding of the Regional Voluntary Youth Organisations and other dimensions of youth services is transferred effectively to the Education Authority; and to find workable solutions which will enable the new arrangements to be as effective as possible.