Written Answers Nos. 932-946
932. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the status of the allocation of the funding from the youth employability initiative; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13395/16]
View answerThe new Youth Employability Initiative, which is funded under the Dormant Accounts Scheme, will target those young people aged 15 to 24 years who are most at risk of unemployment and who are not in education, employment or training. Under the Initiative, €600,000 will be provided to the voluntary youth services, to support the provision of innovative programmes for these young people to enhance their employability skills and competencies.
The Youth Employability Initiative was launched on 8th October 2015. Some 56 applications were received. Processing has now been finalised. I hope to announce details of the successful applicants in the coming weeks.
933. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the status of the implementation of the National Youth Strategy 2015-2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13396/16]
View answerThe National Youth Strategy 2015-2020, published last October was developed in close consultation with statutory youth interests and the voluntary youth organisations and services that work with young people.
The strategy sets out Government’s aims for young people, aged 10 to 24 years, so that they are active and healthy, achieving their full potential in learning and development, safe and protected from harm, have economic security and opportunity and are connected and contributing to their world. The Strategy identifies some fifty priority actions to be delivered by Government departments, state agencies and by others, including the voluntary youth services over 2015 to 2017. They include actions to address issues which are a high priority for young people themselves. Priorities include, reform of the youth funding programmes in line with the recommendations in the Value for Money and Policy Review of Youth Programmes to ensure improved outcomes for young people, opportunities for those young people furthest from the labour market through measures such as the Youth Employability Initiative and the National Strategy on Children and Young People’s Participation in Decision-making.
I will shortly announce details of the successful applicants that are to be funded under the new Youth Employability Initiative, which is funded under the Dormant Accounts scheme. The initiative will target those young people aged 15 to 24 years who are most at risk of unemployment and who are not in education, employment or training. In 2016, €600,000 will be provided to the voluntary youth services, to support the provision of innovative programmes for these young people to enhance their employability skills and competencies.
My Department has undertaken consultations with youth services and engagements are continuing with stakeholders with a view to introducing the new youth funding programme in line with the Value for Money and Policy Review of Youth Programmes over 2016/2017. The National Strategy on Children and Young People's Participation in Decision Making was published in June 2015 and work is underway to ensure that children and young people have a voice in decision making that affects their lives.
My Department is in the process of setting up a National Youth Strategy 2015 - 2020 lead team to support the coordination, progression and monitoring of its implementation. The structures established by my Department under Better Outcomes Brighter Futures, the National Policy Framework for Children and Young People, will oversee the roll out of its implementation.
934. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will, subject to sections 17 and 18 of the Youth Work Act 2001, appoint a new national youth work advisory committee following the completion of the term of the previous committee in 2015; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13397/16]
View answerSections 17 and 18 of the Youth Work Act 2001 provide for the appointment of a National Youth Work Advisory Committee. The Committee has an advisory and consultative role to the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs in matters to do with youth work, including the coordination of youth work programmes and services. In line with these provisions, a new National Youth Work Advisory Committee was appointed by the then Minister for Children and Youth Affairs with a term of office of one year with effect from 28 January 2013. The Committee continued to work with my Department and assisted with the development of the new National Youth Strategy, in particular in identifying in what ways the youth work sector can contribute to shared policy objectives for young people.
The National Youth Strategy 2015-2020 was published on 8th October, 2015. The strategy sets out Government’s aims for young people, aged 10 to 24 years, so that they are active and healthy, achieving their full potential in learning and development, safe and protected from harm, have economic security and opportunity and are connected and contributing to their world. The implementation structures established by my Department under Better Outcomes Brighter Futures, the National Policy Framework for Children and Young People will oversee the roll out of the National Youth Strategy. There is no doubt that the youth work services have a significant contribution to make to realise the goals of the National Youth Strategy as part of a cross sectoral, whole of society approach to supporting young people in their everyday lives. For this reason, the key youth sector interests are represented on the structures established by my Department to support the implementation of Better Outcomes Brighter Futures. At national level, representatives of the voluntary youth services have been appointed to the Advisory Council. At local level, youth sector representatives participate in the Children and Young People’s Services Committees. Key Government departments and agencies that have an interest in children and young people and that had served on the National Youth Work Advisory Committee are represented on the Children and Young People’s Policy Consortium and on the Sponsors Group that have been established under Better Outcomes Brighter Futures to drive the effective implementation of the policy framework.
There have been other significant policy and legislative developments that are relevant to the provision of youth services and the role of the National Youth Work Advisory Committee. These include, the setting up of the North South Education and Training Standards Committee for youth work and the introduction of the Education and Training Boards, Act 2013 which, inter alia, provides for a statutory function for Education and Training Boards in supporting the provision and assessment of youth work services at local level. At EU level, the Council of Ministers for Youth has adopted an EU Youth Strategy and has taken a number of policy initiatives to promote quality in the provision of youth work services. The National Strategy on Children and Young People’s Participation in Decision-making 2015-2020, which was published by my Department in June, 2015 is particularly relevant. I am deeply committed to ensuring that young people are involved in the preparation, planning and implementation of policies that impact on their lives.
My Department works closely with the youth work sector, the voluntary youth services, the Education and Training Boards, other government departments and agencies and consults with young people themselves in the development and delivery of policies and services for children and young people.
I intend that the role of the National Youth Work Advisory Committee will be considered in the light of these developments and in relation to the implementation arrangements in place to achieve our national strategies' objectives to secure the best possible outcomes for young people.
935. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her priorities for investment in youth work services given the commitment in the programme for Government to fund an expansion in youth services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13398/16]
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.
In addition €2.6m in capital funding, also provided in Budget 2016, will be used to support small scale projects, including refurbishment, health and safety fit-outs and accessibility improvements in local youth services.
The Government is committed to building on these developments for young people and to the implementation of the National Youth Strategy 2015 to 2020 to secure improved outcomes for them in key aspects of their lives. I will shortly announce details of the successful applications that are to be funded under the new Youth Employability Initiative. The Initiative which is funded under the Dormant Accounts scheme will target those young people aged 15 to 24 years who are most at risk of unemployment and who are not in education, employment or training. Under the Initiative, €600,000 will be provided to the voluntary youth services, to support the provision of innovative programmes for these young people to enhance their employability skills and competencies. My priorities include the further development of this type of initiative, as well as mentoring and other support programmes for vulnerable young people. The options for additional investment in these supports will be considered in the context of the annual Estimates and Budgetary processes and the implementation of the National Youth Strategy.
936. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs to provide a breakdown on a county basis of the funding allocated under the local youth club grant scheme in both 2015 and 2016 to date; the criteria for allocation of this funding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13399/16]
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.
The Local Youth Club Grant Scheme supports youth work activities at a local level. These grants are made available to all youth clubs and groups through the local Education and Training Boards. The scheme is open to some 1,600 youth groups and clubs, with an estimated 89,000 club members around the country. In 2016, €1.065m has been allocated to this scheme. The scheme, which is open to new entrants, is advertised locally and applications for funding are invited by the Education and Training Boards from local groups in their respective areas. Each year, some 600 local youth clubs benefit from the scheme. The allocations to each Education and Training Board under the Local Youth Club Grant Scheme for 2015 and 2016 were as follows:
|
Education and Training Board |
Allocation 2015 |
Allocation 2016 |
|
Co. Dublin and Dun Laoghaire |
€193,694 |
€ 199,309 |
|
Kildare and Wicklow |
€90,666 |
€ 93,294 |
|
Kilkenny and Carlow |
€38,547 |
€ 39,664 |
|
Laois and Offaly |
€40,699 |
€ 41,878 |
|
Longford and Westmeath |
€32,897 |
€ 33,851 |
|
Louth and Meath |
€78,620 |
€ 80,899 |
|
Wexford and Waterford |
€53,452 |
€ 55,002 |
|
Cavan and Monaghan |
€34,816 |
€ 35,825 |
|
Donegal |
€42,607 |
€ 43,842 |
|
Galway and Roscommon |
€81,324 |
€ 83,683 |
|
Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim |
€56,918 |
€ 58,568 |
|
Cork |
€133,135 |
€ 136,994 |
|
Kerry |
€34,898 |
€ 35,910 |
|
Limerick and Clare |
€82,626 |
€ 85,021 |
|
Tipperary |
€40,098 |
€ 41,260 |
|
TOTAL |
€1,034,997 |
€ 1,065,000 |
937. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she or her officials will raise at the Education, Youth, Culture and Sport Council of the European Union later in May 2016 concerns about the European funding of the European Union Youth Orchestra, arising from changes in the manner in which Creative Europe funds are allocated; if she and her officials will call on the European Union Council and the European Commission to work with this organisation to ensure that this long-standing European youth and cultural institution does not disappear; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13400/16]
View answer938. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she is aware of the fact that the European Union Youth Orchestra, EUYO, is to cease trading from September 2016 due to a lack of European funding in the context of changes in the Creative Europe funding processes; if she will seek to raise the matter at the scheduled meeting of the Education, Youth, Culture and Sport European Council on 30 May to 31 May 2016 to see if an alternative way of funding EUYO can be identified; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13451/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 937 and 938 together.
My Department administers a number of funding schemes and programmes to support the provision of youth services, by the voluntary youth sector, for young people throughout the country including those from disadvantaged communities. My Department does not have a policy or funding role in relation to the European Union Youth Orchestra. As the matters raised fall within the remit of the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, I have made arrangements for the enquiry to be forwarded to that department for direct reply to the Deputy.
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.
940. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the estimated full-year savings for 2017 by reducing spending on professional fees by 10% in her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14106/16]
View answerFor the purposes of this response I have taken professional fees to refer to accountable persons from whom Professional Services Withholding Tax is deductible in respect of professional services provided. Figures for expenditure on professional fees for 2016 are not yet available to me. Using full-year 2015 figures for indicative purposes, a reduction in spend of 10 per cent across the range of Departmental activities would lead to a potential saving of just over €39,500.
941. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the estimated full-year saving for 2017 by reducing spending on travel by 10% in her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14123/16]
View answerWith a funding allocation of €182,000 in the Administrative Budget of my Department to meet travelling and subsistence costs in 2016, the annual savings accruing to the Exchequer from a reduction of 10% for 2017 would amount to €18,200.
942. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the position regarding the responsibilities of the Minister of State at his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12979/16]
View answerAs I announced in this House on 6 May 2016, Deputy Paul Kehoe has been appointed as a Minister of State attending Government and Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach and the Department of Defence with special responsibility for the Department of Defence.
Work is underway in relation to the preparation of a Delegation of Ministerial Functions Order under the Minister and Secretaries (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 1977 to delegate ministerial functions to Minister of State Kehoe. This Order will be finalised as soon as possible in conjunction with the office of the Attorney General.
Every power or duty delegated to Minister Kehoe continues to be vested in me as Minister for Defence concurrently with the Minister of State.
943. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the amount of money spent by his Department on media advertising from March 2011 to February 2016, showing the media organisation, newspaper, radio, television or any other forms of media to which advertisement fees were paid by his Department; and the amount of money paid per year to each individual media organisation in tabular form. [12883/16]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following table.
|
Year |
Individual Media Organisation
|
Total Amount Paid |
|
2011 |
Brindley Advertising |
€40,789.31 |
|
2011 |
Roscrea People |
€250.00 |
|
2011 |
Emergency Service Ireland |
€2,298.00 |
|
2011 |
Council Review |
€726.00 |
|
2011 |
FCR Media Ltd |
€4,632.00 |
|
2011 |
Heritage Guide |
€300.00 |
|
2011 |
Irish Farmers Journal |
€889.35 |
|
2012 |
Brindley Advertising |
€44,100.32 |
|
2012 |
Reid Business Information Ltd |
€760.06 |
|
2012 |
Roscrea People |
€300.00 |
|
2012 |
Education Magazine |
€1,476.00 |
|
2012 |
North Wicklow Times |
€959.40 |
|
2012 |
The Heritage Guide |
€630.00 |
|
2013 |
Brindley Advertising |
€61,202.68 |
|
2013 |
MediaVest Advertising |
€41,521.72 |
|
2013 |
Roscrea People |
€300.00 |
|
2013 |
Education Magazine |
€676.00 |
|
2013 |
Health & Safety Times |
€1,230.00 |
|
2013 |
North Wicklow Times |
€1,199.25 |
|
2013 |
Walking World |
€1,353.00 |
|
2013 |
Irish Food Publishers |
€774.90 |
|
2014 |
MediaVest Advertising |
€87,093.82 |
|
2014 |
Twitter (‘Be Winter Ready’ Campaign) |
€3,690.00 |
|
2014 |
Roscrea People |
€300.00 |
|
2014 |
Education Magazine |
€799.50 |
|
2014 |
Health & Safety Times |
€861.00 |
|
2014 |
North Wicklow Times |
€1,199.25 |
|
2014 |
Irish Food Publishers |
€774.90 |
|
2015 |
MediaVest Advertising |
€72.908.12 |
|
2015 |
Roscrea People |
€300.00 |
|
2015 |
Education Magazine |
€799.00 |
|
2015 |
Silchester Marketing |
€879.45 |
|
2015 |
North Wicklow Times |
€1,199.25 |
|
2015 |
Irish Food Publishers Ltd |
€774.90 |
|
2015 |
Twitter (‘Be Winter Ready’ Campaign) |
€5,041.78 |
944. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the person or company which supplied the anti-malaria drug Malarone to medical personnel for distribution to Irish soldiers serving overseas from 2000 and referred to in Parliamentary Question No. 591 of 18 July 2013. [12964/16]
View answer945. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence further to Parliamentary Question No. 591 of 18 July 2013 to provide the name/s of the supplier anti-malaria drug Malarone to medical personnel for distribution to Irish soldiers serving overseas from 2000. [13558/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 944 and 945 together.
I am advised by the military authorities that since February 2006, the earliest date for which records are available, the following companies have supplied Malarone to the Defence Forces;-
United Drug;
GlaxoSmithKline; and
Cahill May Roberts Ltd.
946. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the status of the proceeds from the sale of an Army barracks (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13632/16]
View answerMagee Barracks Kildare was sold by public auction on 11th February this year. In line with a Government decision in the context of the 2000 White Paper and affirmed in the White Paper on Defence published in August 2015, the proceeds from the sale of properties that have been identified as surplus to military requirements are allocated to the Defence capital programme for investment in equipment and infrastructure for the Defence Forces. Regarding benefit to the local community, as you may be aware in 2013 part of the original Magee Barracks site was acquired by the Department of Education and has been redeveloped to provide a new school for the community. I also understand that the local development plan for Kildare Town 2012-2018 has made provision for a wide ranging use of the site including substantial community amenities thereby ensuring that the local community will benefit directly from the sale.
