Vol. 566 No. 5
121 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if his Department has processed an application for funding from Youthlynx, County Kilkenny, under the young offenders development programme; when a decision is likely in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13327/03]
I can confirm that an appli cation was recently received in my Department from Kilkenny Youthlynx for funding for a proposed new young offenders development programme. I arranged for the views of the probation and welfare service to be sought on the proposals which were outlined in the correspondence. Senior officials from the service visited Kilkenny Youthlynx on 26 February 2003 and discussed the application with the manager of the centre.
The probation and welfare service recognises the commitment that staff currently employed at Kilkenny Youthlynx display in undertaking their work. They also consider that the drop-in facility provided meets a real need as a place where persons with chaotic lifestyles can be comfortable and where they can begin the process of working on any problems they may have.
In regard to the proposal itself, the probation and welfare service is of the view that the proposal as currently framed is somewhat general in nature and sets very ambitious targets which could well be difficult to attain. They consider that a more specific and narrowly focused approach, which has regard to the existing responsibilities of other agencies, and which would outline the contribution that a body such as Kilkenny Youthlynx could make, might be more realistic.
Consideration by my Department of any recommendation from the probation and welfare service for funding for new proposals has to take into account the current availability of resources. On that point, there is, unfortunately, no realistic prospect of funding being available in the 2003 allocation to enable the probation and welfare service to support a new project such as that proposed by Kilkenny Youthlynx. A letter to this effect was issued from my office to Kilkenny Youthlynx on 9 May 2003.
