To ask the Minister of Education to detail (i) any discussions he has had with organisations and groups that previously received funding from the Youth Council; and (ii) what assurances he can give organisations and groups that they will continue to receive funding for activities following the abolition of the Youth Council.

In addition to the formal public consultation for the Future of the Youth Council, I met with representatives from Youthnet (8 July) and Youth Action (2 September) to discuss issues around the consultation proposals. Both of these organisations receive funding from the Youth Council during 2015-16.

In my written statement to the Assembly (10 December 2015), I have given an undertaking to earmark funding destined for regional voluntary youth organisations so that they can be confident that it will be available for their use, no matter what other priorities the Education Authority may have.