I propose to take Questions Nos. 239 and 240 together.
My Department administers a range of funding schemes and programmes to support the provision of youth services to young people throughout the country including those from disadvantaged communities. The schemes include the Youth Service Grant Scheme under which funding is made available on an annual basis to 31 national and major regional youth organisations.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, Local Drugs Task Force Projects and certain other programmes including the Local Youth Club Grant Scheme and Youth Information Centres. The funding schemes support national and local youth work provision to some 400,000 young people and involve approximately, 1,400 youth work staff in 477 projects and 40,000 volunteers working in youth work services and communities throughout the country. In 2014, funding of €50.530m including €750,000 capital funding has been provided to my Department for these schemes. The capital funding comprises €250,000 for play and recreation initiatives and €500,000 for staff-led youth projects under the various schemes funded by the Youth Affairs Unit of the Department.
In 2014, funding of €14.4m has been allocated to the Special Projects for Youth Scheme under which grant aid is made available for out-of-school projects for disadvantaged young people and youth work initiatives for young homeless people, young people at risk of substance misuse and young travellers.
The allocations for youth services and schemes, including the Special Projects for Youth Scheme are determined, in the first instance, by my Department having regard to the available budget. My Department in line with Government policy has been required to achieve significant savings on all funding schemes, including the Special Projects for Youth Scheme, in line with the Comprehensive Review of Expenditure (CRE). In the determination of the annual allocations for the schemes, my Department, while having regard to the CRE, has sought to ensure that the front line youth services, particularly those for the most vulnerable young people are maintained and protected, as far as is possible, from the impact of the necessary reductions in funding. In a context of the very difficult budgetary constraints that have arisen in recent years there have been no new applications for the funding of new projects since 2008.
With regard to the future development of provision for young people, my Department is undertaking a comprehensive Value for Money Review of youth funding schemes that support services to disadvantaged young people. The findings of this review will shape the future direction of youth funding provided by my Department and will aim to ensure quality effective value-for-money services that secure best outcomes for young people. My Department is also developing a new youth strategy. The new youth strategy will take into account the changes in the demographic situation and in the profiles of young people and the evidence about what works best in the provision of youth services to meet young people's needs. 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.
The Leixlip Youth Project is one of a number of projects operated by Kildare Youth Service under the aegis of Youth Work Ireland. The project has been allocated funding of €86,264 in 2014. This is a reduction of 3.75% on the allocation available to the project in 2013.
I am aware of the challenges that the budgetary constraints raise for the youth services throughout the country including the Leixlip Youth Project. Officials from my Department have met Youth Work Ireland in relation to the challenges which local projects face in meeting the needs of young people. I have met and will continue to meet with many youth organisations and groups to try and see how we can work together to ensure the most effective and efficient use of the resources available in order to continue to support the provision of quality and responsive youth services for young people.
