Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 April 2013
225. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will commit to ensuring that there will be no further cuts to youth services, keeping in mind the importance of youth services in deterring children from getting involved in criminality and providing stability in the lives of young people; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17934/13]
View answerThe Youth Affairs Unit of my Department provides a range of funding schemes, programmes and supports to the youth sector. Funding of some €53.173m is available in 2013 to support the provision of youth services and programmes to young people throughout the country including those from disadvantaged communities. Targeted supports for disadvantaged, marginalised and at risk young people are provided through the Special Projects for Youth Scheme, the Young Peoples Facilities and Services Fund Rounds 1 and 2 and Local Drugs Task Force Projects. These funding schemes support national and local youth work provision to some 400,000 young people and involve approximately 1,400 paid staff and 40,000 volunteers working in youth work services and communities throughout the country.
Having regard to the savings requirements identified in the Comprehensive Review of Expenditure my Department has tried to ensure that, in the determination process for the allocations, the front line youth services, particularly those for the most vulnerable young people are protected as far as is possible from the impact of any necessary reductions in funding.
With respect to future funding provision, my Department has commenced a comprehensive Policy and Value for Money Review of youth funding and this report is expected later this year. It is anticipated that this report will inform the provision of funding for youth programmes/services going into the future.
In addition, my Department is developing a new youth policy framework for publication later this year. The new youth policy framework will aim to enhance the provision of youth services and activities and it will, inter alia, promote co-ordination between government departments and youth sector organisations with a view to maximising the effectiveness of the State funding available to support services for young people in future years.
