Vol. 507 No. 4
221 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Science if his attention has been drawn to the serious concern within youth organisations in Kilkenny on the delay in announcing 1999 grants and the fact that some youth workers in disadvantaged areas in the city have been laid off due to lack of finance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17003/99]
The application submitted by Ossory Youth in respect of special youth work provision in the Newpark Close and Hebron Park areas of Kilkenny has received detailed consideration from my Department. Allocations, however, under the grant scheme for special projects to assist disadvantaged youth will not be announced until my Department has examined all the proposals before it. The Deputy might wish to note that grants to existing projects under this scheme have actually received an increase in funding in 1999.
222 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Science if he has received a submission from the homework club, Fr. McGrath Centre, Kilkenny; and the progress, if any, in relation to their application for funding of this project which is in a severely disadvantaged community. [17004/99]
The submission seeking funding for the homework club, Fr. McGrath Centre, Kilkenny has been fully considered by officials in my Department.
The position is that my capacity to allocate funding to such projects in any given year is dependent on resource availability and the level of competing demand from other special needs areas.
However, one of the key objectives of the projects strand of the eight to 15 early school leaver initiative, that was introduced in 14 project areas in September 1998, is to test responses to the problem of early school leaving and to identify models of good practice. Information from the evaluation of the projects will inform the educational system generally and effective models will be replicated in areas of disadvantage, as resources become available. The integration of the services of a range of statutory and voluntary agencies in the project areas, including schools, to provide in-school and out-of-school supports for young people at risk of educational disadvantage is one dimension of the projects. These aspects of the projects include homework support as well as personal and social development and leisure and recreational facilities.
I can assure the Deputy that the application for support from the Fr. McGrath homework club will be fully considered in the context of the project findings and of the availability of additional resources to address the problem of early school leaving and educational disadvantage.
223 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Science the consideration, if any, he has given to the request from Carlow youth organisations for special funding to develop the youth services in Carlow; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that these services seriously lag behind the national norm; and when the grant scheme will be announced for 1999. [17005/99]
The application submitted by the Carlow regional youth service in respect of special youth work provision in the New Oak area of Carlow is being considered by my Department. Allocations under the grant scheme for special projects to assist disadvantaged youth will be announced when my Department has examined all the proposals submitted under the scheme.
With regard to the youth services in general in Carlow, my Department makes grant aid available to the National Youth Federation which is responsible for the distribution of funds to its affiliates, including the Carlow regional youth service. Applications for funding are considered each year having regard to policy considerations, existing commitments and to the overall level of financial resources available for youth organisations. My Department recently allocated £1,368,133 to the National Youth Federation representing a 3 per cent increase in funding over the 1998 figures.
