Phil Hogan
Question:796 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Education and Science the amount of finance allocated to date in 1999 for the youth facilities fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17286/99]
Written Answers. - Youth Services.
The purpose of the young people's facilities and services fund, established by the Government in 1998, is to assist in the development of preventative strategies in a targeted manner through the development of youth facilities, including sport and recreational facilities, and services in disadvantaged areas where a significant drug problem exists or has the potential to develop.
An Exchequer contribution of £34.775 million over three years has been set aside for this fund and the funds have been allocated as follows: £7.2 million for the implementation of the children at risk programme of the Department of Health and Children: £24.8 million to the local drug task forces, 12 in Dublin and one in Cork: £1.8 million to the four major urban areas of Galway, Cork city south, Limerick and Waterford: £0.5 million to support strategies and proposals in Bray and Carlow: £0.5 million to voluntary organisations with a national or regional remit which have the capacity to deliver targeted education and prevention initiatives on a global basis or to communities of interest.
Excluding the Department of Health and Children projects, the Vocational Education Committees and the local authorities are the channels of funding for the services – current – and for the capital projects respectively and the funds are in the vote of my Department. An amount of £856,126 has been drawn down to date in 1999 by these agencies from my Department on foot of claims received from project promoters.