Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 25 September 2014
5. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will provide adequate funding to the Kerry Diocesan Youth Service to enable the organisation maintain and develop its extensive network of youth facilities in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35758/14]
View answerI ask the Minister if he will provide adequate funding to the Kerry Diocesan Youth Service to enable the organisation to maintain and develop its extensive network of youth facilities in the county.
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 funding schemes support national and local youth work provision to 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, funding of €49.78 million has been provided to my Department for these schemes. I take this opportunity to thank and encourage the phenomenal volunteerism which exists in this country, which is essential to the success of projects and without which the funding would be less effective. I thank all the volunteers working in these agencies and in the sporting organisations.
Kerry Diocesan Youth Service provides a wide range of services for children, young people and their families throughout County Kerry. Kerry Diocesan Youth Service receives funding from a number of statutory bodies, including the Health Service Executive, for these services. My Department provides funding to Kerry Diocesan Youth Service for youth services under the special projects for youth scheme which supports projects targeting young people who are disadvantaged, including young Travellers and young people who are out of school and at risk of drug or substance abuse or homelessness. Funding is also provided for a youth information centre in Tralee. In 2014, funding of €429,285 has been allocated to Kerry Diocesan Youth Service for these youth services. I am also aware that my colleague, the Minister for Justice and Equality, provides funding to Kerry Diocesan Youth Service through the community programmes unit of the Irish Youth Justice Service, for the operation of Garda youth diversion projects in the county. The question of additional funding to my Department to support the provision of youth services is a matter for consideration in the context of the annual Estimates and budgetary processes and having regard to the resources available to the Government.
Kerry Diocesan Youth Service is a model organisation and an example of what can be done in dealing with youth in areas with significant social problems and where well-supervised recreational facilities are needed. Over the past 25 years, Kerry Diocesan Youth Service has built an extensive network of facilities and social services. The organisation has its headquarters in Killarney and offices in Tralee, Listowel, Castleisland and youth cafés in towns and villages throughout the county. It provides an essential mobile service which goes out to the remote areas and the little villages in all corners of the county.
I welcome the Minister's announcements about funding but the special projects for youth funding and youth information grants have been gradually reduced over the past five or six years with a reduction of 30%. These are core grants and I ask the Minister if he could escalate these grants and perhaps reconsider how they are applied.
I concur with the Deputy's comments about the service provided by Kerry Diocesan Youth Service through its invaluable work. All these groups are tremendous value for money from the point of view of a return to the taxpayer.
It is not just about putting a price on the services they deliver, which can be done, but it is about putting a value on the work they do and the impact they have on the development of children and youth. They have our absolute support. Notwithstanding the fact that the public finances are improving, we still have a fragile economy and we have to make sure the recovery is not endangered in any way. The latitude, therefore, for spending additional sums is limited and my Department is in discussions with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, as we approach the annual Estimates and all these points are being made. We are striving as best we can to ensure no further reduction to service.
Due to the financial shortfall, KDYS has experienced job losses over the past few years, in particular, and the organisation is trying to maintain services, protect, in particular, core services and create new programmes as they emerge. Current State funding is restricting progress and future development. The cuts are destabilising and they undermine the positive plans KDYS has to advance its programmes. It has expanded strong services relating to recreational activities. It is a model organisation and it needs to protect and enhance these structures. I very much welcome the Minister's response but adequate funding will have to be provided for this organisation. We must recognise the great work these people are carrying out in these demanding times for the youth of our country.
I refer to a breakdown of where the money is going: Killarney & South Kerry Youth Project, €55,183; Listowel-North Kerry Youth Project, €81,576; Sliabh Luachra-Castleisland Youth Project, €74,651; Tralee Youth Development Project, €173,394; and Tralee and Killarney youth information centres, €107,481. We fund a range of services. The youth service grant scheme is in receipt of almost €10 million in 2014 while €14.5 million has been allocated for special youth projects, €18.3 million for rounds 1 and 2 of the Young People's Facilities and Service Fund, €1 million for the local youth clubs grant scheme, €1.234 million for youth information centres, €1.1 million for local drugs task force projects and €630,000 for Gaisce, the President's Award and so on. The commitment of the Department to this area is clear. We greatly value the work these organisations do and we strive in every way we can to support them.
