Vol. 509 No. 4
363 Ms O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Science the criteria for qualification under the disadvantaged youth scheme; the total allocation for the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20751/99]
The grant scheme for special projects to assist disadvantaged youth is a special fund to provide out-of-school youth work programmes and services for young people in particular need. This fund is provided from proceeds of the national lottery.
Grants from the fund will be allocated to organisations and groups for specific projects which seek to address the needs of young people who are disadvantaged due to a combination of all or some of the following factors: a high youth population; a high level of youth unemployment; a high dependence on social welfare assistance-general unemployment; evidence of social isolation; evidence of drugs-substance abuse; evidence of a young homelessness problems, including temporary homelessness; problems of juvenile crime, vandalism and truancy; mainline youth services, as defined in final report of the Costello Committee, have failed or do not exist; and an inadequate take-up of ordinary educational opportunities.
