www.iyjs.ie Community.iyjs@justice.ie Presentation to Garda Youth Diversion Projects By Joe Gavin/Jason McLoughlin

1. European Social Fund – Irish Youth Justice Service www.iyjs.ie Community.iyjs@justice.ie Presentation to Garda Youth Diversion Projects By Joe Gavin/Jason McLoughlin “Investing in your Future”

2. Agenda Presentation by Joe Gavin and Jason McLoughlin Group questions and answers session Individual discussions with project staff on GYDP returns European Social Fund “Investing in your Future”

3. European Social Fund • Human Capital Investment Operational Programme HC-IOP • 2007 – 2013 – value €25.106mil – 50% refund possible • 3 Priorities • Increasing activation of the workforce • Increasing participation and reducing inequality in the labour force • Technical assistance • GYDPs under Priority 1 “Investing in your Future”

4. NON COMPLIANCE - Implications • Refusal of refund of 50% of spend from EU - Loss of 12.5M to exchequer 2. Public Accounts Committee investigation • Reduction in budget to Community Programmes IYJS D/Justice • Unfavourable media attention for the Department and youth justice. • Closure of Garda Youth Diversion Projects “Investing in your Future”

5. GYDP submission • 2 Sub Measures: Sub Measure 1 • I.T. Skills /Personal Development over 3 years Sub Measure 2 • Employment of ESF additional worker 2007-2013 “Investing in your Future”

6. Allocation for IYJS • Sub Measure 1 • Year 1 €126k paid in 2007 to 24 projects • Year 2 €400k paid to 80 projects • Year 3 €420k payment suspended due to unacceptable returns for year 1 and 2 I.T. Grant is €5,400 Personal Development Grant is €4,580 “Investing in your Future”

7. IYJS grant cont’d • Sub Measure 2 - employment of ESF additional worker - €38,500 per year max – salary, PRSI & recruitment costs • €24.16 mil over the lifetime of the programme • IYJS makes claim to EU within 2 years of the spend by the project. “Investing in your Future”

8. Current Position re: claims N+2 approach applies N = the year the money was spent by a project. 2 = the last year the claim can be made to EU • Payments made under Sub Measures 1 and 2 and used in 2007/08 must be claimed for by August 2010 • No claims made by IYJS to date due to lack of compliance “Investing in your Future”

9. Compliance - How • Guidelines issued - recently updated, and circulated today with a copy in your pack and emailed. • Projects now need to check the forms they have submitted to IYJS and make full returns as a matter of urgency. “Investing in your Future”

10. Reporting Requirements General Reporting: Sub Measure 1 Reporting: “Investing in your Future”

11. Reporting Requirements Sub Measure 2 Reporting: “Investing in your Future”

12. General Reporting – Additional Information Required • ESF Financial Statement Form • Issued in January 2009 • To be returned on an annual basis • Only expenditure relating to ESF must be recorded on this form. • Headings under each section may be amended if necessary, bearing in mind Eligible Expenditure rules as outlined in the Procedures Manual. “Investing in your Future”

13. Sub Measure 1 Reporting – Additional Information Required • Quotation details for each course run in year reported. • Assessment details on how course provider was selected for each course run in year reported. (Where a verbal quote was received this should be documented and returned to IYJS) • Copies of all paid invoices for each course run in year reported. • Copies of relevant bank statements showing funding coming into account from IYJS and going out of account to course provider for each course run in year reported. • Details of course attendees for each course run in year reported, and those who completed the course. • Copy of course manual for each course run in year reported. “Investing in your Future”

14. Sub Measure 1 Reporting – Year 3 • €400,000 still available • IYJS requires advanced proposals for I.T. / P.D. courses • Proposals to include a paragraph on the value of previous I.T. / P.D. courses “Investing in your Future”

15. Sub Measure 2 Reporting – Additional Information Required • Copies of all paid invoices re: cost of advertisement each time a worker is employed in year reported. • Copy of advertisement each time a worker is employed in year reported. • Details of interview process each time a worker is employed in year reported. • Proof of start date each time a worker is employed in year reported (copy of P60 and signed copy of workers contract). • Copy of employee payslip for each worker employed in year reported. • Bank statement showing funding coming into account from IYJS and going out of account to pay salary. “Investing in your Future”

16. Ineligible Expenditure • Ineligible expenditure is documented in more detail in the ESF Procedures Manual (copy in your pack). • Transport – transport costs are not refundable from the EU and should not be included in receipts for ESF funding. • Food – inappropriate or unreasonable food costs should not be included in receipts for ESF funding. • Capital Costs • Venue Hire – venue hire should be an option of last resort and therefore inappropriate or unreasonable venue costs should not be included in receipts for ESF funding. • Recreational Trips. • Equipment Costs (over €1000). • Redundancy and pension costs. “Investing in your Future”

17. Publicity Signage must be visible on the project premises EU logos and slogan must be displayed on all publicity materials for example: Application forms Job advertisements Websites All correspondence from projects Reports “Investing in your Future”

18. Current Problems • Signage/Posters/Logos/Slogan/Letterheads • Not being used extensively enough by projects. • Incomplete Returns • Details of advertisement/ interview process/applicant assessment not returned by projects. IYJS not informed of start / finish date(s) when ESF additional worker changes. • Clarity required around total number of course participants/ participants engaged by ESF additional worker. • Some checklist information requested by IYJS and returned by projects- a lot of information omitted!!! “Investing in your Future”

19. ESF Audit Process • Audits can be carried out by the following bodies: • IYJS - spot check requirement. • D/JELR Internal Audit Unit (required by D/ET&E). • D/ET&E Managing Authority requirement (external auditors). • Irish ESF Audit Unit. • European ESF Audit Unit (near completion of Programme). Between all the various bodies that can examine GYDP’s in receipt of ESF funding- the likelihood of a visit is high. Retention of records is required for three years from the end of the Programme, i.e. 2016 “Investing in your Future”

20. Sub Measure 2Form 4A • New form (copy in your pack). • The form is the product of the Line Manager / Coordinator Working Group. • To be completed retrospectively for 2008 and 2009, and on an annual basis in January for the previous year moving forward. • Establishes a baseline for projects prior to the recruitment of the ESF additional worker (section 2 of form). • Provides a yearly value statement of ESF additional worker (section 3 of form). • Provides a practical example of the improvements made by the project (section 4 of form). The European Union will examine this return and all other required returns in consideration of a refund of 50% of cost of ESF additional worker to the Exchequer. “Investing in your Future”

21. Schedule for ESF Claim- WHAT WE NEED NOW!!! We must have all project incurred returns for ESF spend for 2008 by May 2010. Projects should prioritise 2008 reporting requirements (but we also require 2009 information ASAP). “Investing in your Future”