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Departmental Funding

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 4 July 2013

Thursday, 4 July 2013

Questions (39, 52)

John Halligan

Question:

39. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she has undertaken or intends to undertake an analysis or impact study on the cumulative effects of the cuts in family support services, health services, guidance and mental health services, special needs assistants and resource hours and school completion programme on children and young persons in the areas catered for by the City of Dublin Youth Service Board; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32605/13]

View answer

Richard Boyd Barrett

Question:

52. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she has undertaken or intends to undertake an analysis or impact study on the cumulative effects of the cuts in education, family support services, health services, guidance and mental health services, special needs assistants and resource hours and school completion programme on young persons in the areas catered for by the City of Dublin Youth Service Board; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32606/13]

View answer

Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 39 and 52 together.

My Department supports a range of programmes to support services for children and young people, including family support services currently provided by the Family Support Agency and the School Completion Programme which supports school attendance, participation and retention. My Department also implements a number of other areas of programme spend, including funding for youth services and funding for services in the early childhood care and education sector.

As the Deputy will be aware, along with all other Government Departments, my Department undertook a Comprehensive Review of Expenditure in November 2011. This has required savings to be found across almost all areas of expenditure in my Department's Vote. The funding for family support services and the School Completion Programme is not broken down by reference to City of Dublin Youth Service Board and I am not in a position to state the cumulative effect of the savings on children and young persons in the areas within the remit of the Board.

The Family Support Agency, which is under the remit of my Department, provides support services for children and families through a network of some 106 Family Resource Centres. Under the Comprehensive Review of Expenditure, funding for the Family Resource Centres has been reduced in 2012-2013 by 5% per annum which amounts to some €1.6m in total. The merger of the functions of the Family Support Agency with the new Child and Family Agency in the coming months should provide opportunities for some administrative savings and cost efficiencies.

The School Completion Programme (SCP) is one of three educational welfare strands under the remit of the National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB) for which my Department has responsibility. The SCP is also a key part of the Department of Education and Skills DEIS programme. The SCP supports 124 projects and related initiatives which operate in 470 primary schools and 224 post-primary schools across the country to provide targeted supports to approximately 36,000 children and young people. As a result of the Comprehensive Review of Expenditure, the SCP was subject to a funding reduction of 6.5% per annum in 2012-2013 amounting to some €3.8m. An operational review of the SCP will be undertaken in the coming academic year to enable my Department to target support to the pupils most at risk of educational disadvantage and early school leaving.

Funding for youth services and organisations which is provided by my Department to support youth services and projects in the Dublin City area, and which is administered by the City of Dublin Youth Service Board, amounts to almost €12m this year. Since 2012, this funding has been reduced by €2.895m. This is in line with the Comprehensive Review of Expenditure which required funding reductions for youth services of, on average, 5% in 2012 and 10% in 2013. To minimise the impact of the savings required, my Department is undertaking a comprehensive Value for Money and Policy Review of youth funding to inform the future provision of youth programmes and services.

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