Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 31 May 2016
939. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to previous engagements with her Department, if she will support a project (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13572/16]
View answerMy Department administers a range of funding schemes and programmes to support the provision of youth services by the voluntary youth sector, to young people throughout the country including those from disadvantaged communities. The funding schemes support national and local youth work provision to some 380,000 young people. The voluntary youth sector involves approximately 1,400 paid staff, including youth workers and 40,000 volunteers working in youth work services and communities throughout the country.
I am pleased to advise the Deputy that Budget 2016 provided an additional €1.1m in current youth funding to my Department bringing the total allocation for the youth services to €51m in 2016. This additional funding will be used for programmes that target disadvantaged young people and to assist national youth organisations in their work to support local voluntary youth services.
Kerry Diocesan Youth Service (KDYS) provides a wide range of services for children, young people and their families throughout County Kerry. My Department provides funding to KDYS for youth services under the Special Projects for Youth scheme which supports projects which target young people who are disadvantaged including young Travellers and young people who are out of school and at risk of drugs, substance abuse or homelessness. Funding is also provided for a youth information centre in Tralee. In 2016, funding of €505,000 has been allocated to KDYS for these youth services.
My Department is supportive of the KDYS initiative for a European Youth Centre. Officials have engaged with KDYS to discuss the proposals and the involvement of key stakeholders including the relevant Education and Training Board in the development of the initiative. Officials of the Department will continue to be available and to advise on the development of the proposal so that it demonstrably responds to needs of young people who are at risk of social and economic disadvantage and meets policy objectives for improved outcomes for young people.
The options for funding the initiative will be explored further with KDYS in this context and having regard to the resources available to the Department at this time.
