Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 20 May 2021
301. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of youth workers excluding Garda youth diversion workers funded to work in the north County Dublin area in each of the past ten years; his plans to increase the number of youth workers in the area in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27372/21]
View answerMy Department does not collect information of the nature requested by the Deputy.
While my Department provides funding for the provision of national and local youth services through three different funding schemes:-the UBU Your Place Your Space scheme, the Youth Services Grant Scheme and the Local Youth Service Grant Scheme; this funding is not allocated based on the number of youth workers or the youth population in an area and is instead targeted towards disadvantaged, marginalised or vulnerable young people. The recruitment and employment of staff including youth workers are matters for the youth organisations and services themselves.
The provision of youth funding in north County Dublin is delivered through the Dublin Dun Laoghaire Education and Training Board. The ETB has responsibility for the governance and oversight of the funding provided by my Department for youth services in Dun Laoghaire, South County Dublin and Dublin Fingal. As additional funding becomes available, new or augmented services can be developed and an application considered by my Department under the UBU Your Place Your Space Policy and Operating Rules. The application process is preceded by a local needs analysis undertaken by the ETB. Further additional funding may be provided as part of the Estimates process, and in 2021 this resulted in a 2.5% increase to services funded under UBU Your Place Your Space. In Dublin Dun Laoghaire ETB, my Department has provided almost €7.8 million for funded youth organisations under this scheme in 2020, with an increase of approximately €190,000 on the previous year.
In regards to youth sector funding, I secured an increase of €5 million in funding for youth services in 2021. €66.8 million is being provided to youth services nationwide this year. Funding during Covid 19 restrictions was maintained. The additional funding allocated to youth services in 2021 will support the delivery of universal and targeted youth services nationwide, with a particular view to the role played by youth services in fostering resilience and developing the social and personal competencies of young people.
