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. Targeted support for disadvantaged, marginalised and at risk young people are provided through the Special Projects for Youth Scheme, the Young People's Facilities and Services Fund, Rounds 1 and 2, Local Drugs Task Force Projects and certain other programmes such as the Local Youth Club Grant Scheme and Youth Information Centres. In addition, some 31 national and major regional youth work organisations, including Scouting Ireland, are supported under my Department's Youth Service Grant Scheme. The funding schemes support national and local youth work provision to some 380,000 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, current funding of €49.78m has been provided to my Department for these schemes.
Funding is provided by my Department to the City of Dublin Youth Service Board (CDYSB) for the support of youth projects in the Dublin City area. CDYSB is in receipt of funding under the Special Projects for Youth Scheme (SPY), Young People’s Facilities and Services Fund Rounds 1 and 2 (YPFSF) and under the Local Drug Task Force (LDTF). Funding of €10.748m has been allocated to CDYSB in 2014 by my Department in respect of the support for almost 80 youth projects in Dublin City. In 2013, an amount of €11.167m was allocated.
Scouting Ireland receives grant aid on an annual basis under the Youth Service Grant Scheme. Details of the funding allocated to Scouting Ireland for the past five years are outlined hereunder.
|
Youth Service Grant Scheme
|
Year
|
Grant €
|
|
|
2014
|
814,250
|
|
|
2013
|
845,974
|
|
|
2012
|
939,971
|
|
|
2011
|
1,005,317
|
|
|
2010
|
1,082,849
|
My Department, along with all government departments, is required to deliver substantial savings on all funding programmes in line with the Comprehensive Review of Expenditure (CRE). My Department, in determining the annual allocations for youth programmes, while having regard to the CRE, has sought to ensure that, as far as is possible, the focus is maintained on the front line youth services particularly those for the most vulnerable young people. This year, I secured an additional €1m in the 2014 Budget to offset the impact of the CRE on the youth services. As a result the overall reduction in 2014 budgets for the youth services at 3.75 % was significantly less had been indicated in the CRE.
I am aware of the challenges that the budgetary constraints raise for the youth services throughout the country and its impact on services such as Scouting Ireland. I, and officials of my Department 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.
