Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 19 October 2021
657. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the total funding allocated to the UBU Youth Programme by his Department; and the amount of this total provided respectively for funded organisations and the total provided for ETBs. [51164/21]
View answer658. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of audits carried out on youth services by education and training boards and other bodies funded through his Department; the total cost of these audits; and the total time required to comply with same. [51165/21]
View answer659. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the total cost incurred by education and training boards in administering the UBU Youth Programme on behalf of his Department including staffing, expenses, indirect costs, audit fees and any other similar or related expenditures. [51166/21]
View answer660. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the total number of education and training board youth officers, youth development officers, similar staff and administrative staff funded by his Department by education and training boards and ETBI; and the total costs of same. [51167/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 657 to 660, inclusive, together.
My Department currently allocates targeted youth funding of €41.8 million through the UBU Your Place Your Space scheme. The mission of the scheme is to provide out-of-school supports to marginalised, disadvantaged or vulnerable young people in their communities to enable them to overcome adverse circumstances and achieve their full potential.
Separately, Education and Training Boards (ETBs) are funded by my Department through an ETB Youth Grant. My Department currently allocates €4.7 million to enable ETBs to fulfil governance and oversight responsibilities across multiple youth funding schemes, including UBU Your Place Your Space, the Local Youth Club Grant Scheme, the LGBTI+ Initiative, Youth Information Centres and bespoke youth related schemes that are approved for a particular year. This Department has Service Level Agreements in place with each individual ETB to ensure the strong governance of Exchequer grant funding. The funding outlined above does not fund individual posts within ETBs, but is rather a contribution towards ETB costs in fulfilling their statutory youth work responsibilities. While the cost is not disaggregated in the manner requested by the Deputy each ETB will employ a range of staff deemed necessary to carry out these statutory functions. ETB Ireland advised in March 2021 that there are some 26 youth officers, 7 liaison officers and 7 development officers employed in ETBs dedicated to youth work functions. These staff would be supported by clerical grades and report to senior management.
My Department also provides funding for the operation of the ETBI Youth Support Service. This service has been established to support all ETBs in the delivery of their youth work function, specifically to enhance the capacity of ETBs with respect to their role in relation to youth funding schemes.
My Department does not collate data on the number of audits carried out in youth services by ETBs and other bodies in the manner requested. This is a local management matter as the responsibility for the mid-level governance of the scheme rests with the ETBs. ETBs are obliged under the terms of the SLA with my Department to report any matters as appropriate as part of the governance arrangements.
