Skip to main content
Normal View

Departmental Funding

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 April 2013

Tuesday, 30 April 2013

Questions (496)

Nicky McFadden

Question:

496. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will commit to the continuation of adequate funding for the youth work sector in counties Longford and Westmeath; if she will ensure that no further cuts are made in the area of disadvantaged youth work; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19772/13]

View answer

Written answers

The Youth Affairs Unit of my Department provides a range of funding schemes, programmes and supports to the youth sector. Funding of some €53.498m 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.

My Department also provides funding for a Local Youth Club Grant Scheme which supports youth work activities at a local level (€1.035m in 2013). The funding under this scheme has not been cut in 2012 or 2013. These grants are made available to all youth clubs and groups through local Vocational Education Committees. The allocation for this scheme will be notified to the VECs, including Co. Longford and Co. Westmeath VECs over the coming weeks and applications for funding will be subsequently invited by the VECs from local groups in their areas.

The savings required under the Comprehensive Review of Expenditure in respect of 2013 amounted to €5.393m which equated to almost a 10% reduction on 2012 funding available for the provision of youth services. 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.

My Department has commenced a comprehensive Value for Money and Policy 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.

Top
Share