asked the Minister for Education the reason the grant awarded to the Ballymun Youth Action Project, Dublin 11, from national lottery funding has not been paid; if she will agree to meet the group to help resolve the matter; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - National Lottery Allocations.
113.
Comhairle le Leas Óige, which is the statutory youth service agency for Dublin city, is responsible for the administration of the grant for the Ballymun youth action project, in common with the grants for all other youth service projects for disadvantaged young people in Dublin city which are funded out of my Department's national lottery resources. In accordance with the usual procedures for the allocation of grants from my Department and in line with the conditions set down by the Department of Finance relating to the payment of these grants, comhairle is obliged to ensure that certain procedures are set in place in local communities which will provide for adequate monitoring and assessment of the projects at local level.
It is on this condition that the grant for the Ballymun youth action project has been allocated by my Department to Comhairle le Leas Óige. Payment of the grant to the project committee itself is a matter for comhairle. I understand from comhairle that the project committee have not yet agreed to sign the standard contract considered indispensable for the proper monitoring and evaluation of such projects and because of this the grant cannot be paid. In the circumstances, I do not consider it appropriate for me to intervene in this matter.
114.
asked the Minister for Education if she intends giving a grant from the national lottery to the Young Ireland Movement; when any such grant will be paid; the amount of any such grant; if her attention has been drawn to the good work being carried out by this organisation; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
An application from the Young Ireland Movement for entry into the youth service grant scheme is currently under consideration in my Department. Officials are arranging a meeting with the organisation to sort out some outstanding documentation and generally review the application after which a decision will be made on their admission into the scheme in the current year if the budget allocation for youth affairs is adequate to allow for new admission.