Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 15 February 2024
313. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he has any plans to move to multi-annual funding, to allow medium and longer-term programming with greater confidence, as recommended by the Future of Youth Work report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7189/24]
View answerExchequer funding for youth services is currently allocated on an annual basis in the Budgetary process. My Department is obliged to adhere to the public sector spending code, and therefore it is not possible to enter into multi-annual grant agreements with the youth organisations funded by my Department.
However, so to support organisations to have greater certainty of funding on a multi-annual basis, the UBU scheme, which is the largest scheme funded by my Department with €47million in funding in 2024, operates on a 3 year cycle basis, whereby funded youth services, continue to receive funding over a 3 year period, subject to the completion of an annual Renewal form by the services involved. The new Targeted Youth Employment Support Initiative will operate on a similar basis, with a three year funding window for services, with annual renewal of funding within that period.
