Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 June 2014
787. Deputy James Bannon asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will provide details of proposed funding for a youth project (details supplied) in County Longford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25402/14]
View answerThe Youth Affairs Unit of my Department administers a range of funding schemes, programmes and supports to the youth sector. In 2014, current funding of some €49.780m is available to support the provision of youth services and programmes to young people throughout the country including those from disadvantaged communities. This includes provision of €9.948m under the Youth Service Grant Scheme for some 30 national and major regional organisations, including Foróige and Youth Work Ireland, to support the development of their services for young people. In 2014, funding of €86,779 has been provided under the Special Projects for Youth Scheme to two projects in county Longford - County Longford Youth Service, which is part of Longford Community Resources Ltd (€74,651), and Longford Youth Service (€12,128). In addition, €9,733 has been allocated to the Education and Training Board under the 2014 Local Youth Club Grant Scheme to support youth work activities at a local level.
In 2013, a capital allocation of €1.55m was made available by my Department for the provision of new youth cafes. Pobal assisted my Department with the application process. Some 95 applications for support under this scheme were received by Pobal. Following the completion of the evaluation process some 30 proposals for new youth cafes projects around the country were approved for funding. An application for funding was received in respect of the youth project in question, however, the application was deemed ineligible on the grounds that the project was not establishing a 'new' youth café. The application and the outcome of the process were discussed at a meeting with representatives of the youth project in January of this year and the position was confirmed to the group.
In 2014, an allocation of €.5m in capital funding has been provided to my Department for small capital projects in the youth services. Details of the scheme will be announced in the coming months. However, there is no capital funding scheme available to my Department at this time for large scale projects such as that envisaged by the youth project in question. Given the challenging budgetary position that my Department, along with all Government departments, is managing at this time, it is not anticipated, that this situation will change in the immediate future.
I met with the proposers of the youth project on a recent visit to Longford. I was impressed with their commitment and the quality of their work to support youth people in Longford town and county. Youth cafes offer young people a safe, alcohol and drug free space for recreation, non-formal learning and youth focused activities. As such, they can make an important contribution to the development of services to meet the needs of young people in their local communities. The development of youth café facilities is a priority for my Department should further capital funding become available in future years.
Officials from my Department and Pobal are available to meet the group again to discuss their proposals and to explain the funding situation at this time.
