Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 January 2019
594. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the budget allocation under the youth service grant scheme in each of the years 2016 to 2018 and to date in 2019; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3022/19]
View answerThe Youth Service Grant Scheme (YSGS) provides funding, on an annual basis, to 30 national and major regional voluntary organisations. The continued funding of voluntary youth organisations through the Scheme is intended to ensure the emergence, promotion, growth and development of youth organisations with distinctive philosophies and programmes aimed at the social education of young people.
The YSGS allocation for the years 2016 to 2018 is as follows:
|
Year |
YSGS allocation |
|
2016 |
€10,148,979 |
|
2017 |
€10,651,764 |
|
2018 |
€10,658,170 |
The overall budget allocation for the youth sector in 2019 is € 60.4m in current funding. This represents an additional €1.5m over 2018; an increase of €8.5m in the youth funding provided in 2016. The level of funding supports the delivery of a range of youth work programmes and services for all young people, including those from disadvantaged communities, by the youth work sector.
I am not in a position, currently, to give details on the YSGS allocation for 2019. My Department has commenced a process to identify service development needs for 2019 and to finalise the 2019 youth funding allocations. The primary purpose of this process is to ensure that youth services are sufficiently resourced to meet the needs of young people and particularly those who are at risk of drugs or alcohol misuse, early school leaving, homelessness or who are living in disadvantaged communities.
In this regard, officials within my Department are currently processing funding renewal applications on behalf of both national youth organisations and youth projects throughout the country. Every effort will be made to complete this process as soon as possible and all youth organisations and youth services will be notified of their allocation at the earliest possible date.
I will be happy to inform the Deputy of the YSGS allocation for 2019 when this information becomes available.
