Fiona O'Loughlin
Question:557. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of youth centres open in County Laois; the status of each centre; and the amount of funding provided to each. [39626/18]
View answerTuesday, 2 October 2018
Questions (557)
Written answers
My Department administers a range of funding schemes and programmes which provide funding to youth organisations and projects in County Laois.
In 2018, an amount of €89,203 was allocated for the projects and services under Laois Youth Service, which operates under Youth Work Ireland. My Department provides funding to Youth Work Ireland Laois (YWI Laois) which has an administrative centre and youth café in Portlaoise town centre under the Special Projects for Youth Scheme.
YWI Laois also supports youth clubs and groups across the county in Ballinakill, Emo, Vicarstown, Barrowhouse, Rathdown and Portarlington. Funding of €55,165 was provided to Laois Offaly Education and Training Board in 2018 under the Local Youth Club Grant Scheme to support youth activities at a local level.
The Graiguecullen Youth Project is administered by Carlow Regional Youth Service but is available to young people on the Laois border, particularly from Arles and Killeshin. This project received funding of €82,743 under the special projects for youth scheme in 2018.
In addition, I was pleased to approve the establishment a capital grant scheme in 2018 for targeted staff led youth projects and services across the country. YWI Laois received funding of €17,578 under this initiative.
Funding of €10,000 has recently been provided to Laois Offaly Education and Training Board to identify youth services currently available to the young LGBTI+ young people in Laois and Offaly and will also to provide grant assistance to youth services in County Laois to increase contact hours with LGBTI+ young people.