Vol. 512 No. 1
33 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Education and Science the discussions, if any, his Department has had with the Department of Tourism, Sport and Recreation on the administration of the youth and sport grants scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25418/99]
231 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Education and Science if an undertaking was given in regard to youth and sports grants which up to 1997 were administered by his Department and paid through the vocational education committees, that the funding in this area would be split evenly between the youth and sports functions; if so, if this was done; the allocation made in his Department's 2000 Estimates for youth grants similar to the old scheme as distinct from sports purposes; if his attention has been drawn to the concerns among youth groups that they are losing out in respect of such small scale grants at the expense of sports organisations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25574/99]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 33 and 231 together.
The youth and sports grant scheme was administered by my Department up to July 1997 when the sports section was transferred to form part of the new Department of Tourism, Sport and Recreation. My Department is involved in ongoing discussions with the Department of Tourism, Sport and Recreation on the administration of the youth element of the youth and sports grant scheme. I hope these discussions will be concluded in the near future.
Is the Minister of State aware that the Department of Tourism, Sport and Recreation, through the Sports Council, has informed the vocational education committees that the focus for the distribution of the £1 million in funding should lie in the direction of sport and disadvantage and not on youth clubs and youth services? Does he agree the youth and sports grant is becoming merely a sports grant? Does he further agree, as Minister of State with responsibility for youth affairs, that the Minister of State at the Department of Tourism, Sport and Recreation, Deputy Flood, has access to more funding for the provision of youth services?
Thank heavens for that.
I do not agree with that assertion. I am aware of the correspondence to which Deputy Naughten refers, namely, a letter from the chief executive of the new Sports Council which was transmitted to the vocational education committees some time ago. I do not agree with his view because some of this money is particularly for the youth section. Discussions took place between officials in my Department and the Department of Tourism, Sport and Recreation. Unfortunately, those discussions failed to resolve the problem and the Minster for Tourism, Sport and Recreation and I must address it. We have already held preliminary talks and will shortly conclude our discussion. I am sure we can resolve this matter. If we need help from Fine Gael, we will ask for it.
The Minister of State should not hold his breath.
Is it the case that he has £300,000 at his disposal for the local youth grants scheme and the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation is holding £500,000 which was allocated to the youth services fund? How will we fund youth services and combat the drugs problem if the Minister of State does not receive the necessary resources?
The Deputy's first question portrays a misunderstanding of what happened.
The Minister of State should explain it to him.
As a result of my representations to Government and to the Department of Finance, the funding for youth services has been increased significantly on last year. I allocated some of the extra money to a new scheme which I initiated to allocate grants directly to youth clubs. I had hoped to augment that by the allocation of resources which have instead gone to the Sports Council and because those resources have not been returned yet we have gone ahead with a pilot scheme.
The Minister of State is confined to one minute. He should conclude.
I am supremely confident the matter will be resolved by next year.
Does the Minister of State agree this matter which started out as a bureaucratic issue has grown into a problem about who controls the purse strings? Obviously, the Government believes the Department of Tourism, Sport and Recreation is in a better position than the Minister of State to distribute those funds. Will he ensure the funding is put into youth services where it belongs and not solely into sports facilities? Many youth groups did not receive funding because they were not aware of the re-allocation of funding to sports rather than youth services.
The Government controls the purse strings. We are discussing which Department will allocate the funding to which the Deputy refers. I will shortly meet my colleague, the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation, and I am confident we can resolve the issue.
My money will be on the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation.
Is it not the case that the funding has already been allocated for 1999? Is it not too late for the Minister of State to discuss this matter with his colleague because the money has already been distributed?
That is right.
Youth services and groups will be starved of resources for the next 12 months.
Hear, hear.
Deputy Naughten's problem is that he cannot resist an audience.
The Minister of State's problem is that he cannot find one.
Order, please.
Youth services have benefited enormously as a result of the increased funding which I have secured. This matter has not yet been resolved by the officials. I will resolve it with the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation.
Can the Minister of State ensure the £500,000 which has been transferred from his Department will be re-allocated to the organisations for which it was designated, namely youth clubs?
I will discuss this matter with the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation.
They should hold a summit.
The Minister of State should give a guarantee.
My estimate is that £400,000 is required but I am delighted with Deputy Naughten's support and since the Minister for Finance is now present, I will ask for £500,000.
The Minister of State should get a calculator.
Written Answers follow Financial Resolutions.
