Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 4 July 2023
537. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the extent to which he continues to liaise with various youth services throughout County Kildare and throughout the country, with a view to making available an equality of support services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32712/23]
View answerMy Department and I engage with the youth sector in a number of ways to ensure that youth supports are distributed appropriately throughout the country.
My Department provides funding to Education and Training Boards (ETB) to support youth services in their area. My officials hold quarterly meetings with ETBI (the representative body for the ETBs) and these meetings assist my Department in identifying service needs and emerging issues, particularly for vulnerable young people
In 2022, the UBU programme manager within my Department visited all 16 ETBs, including Kildare Wicklow ETB, and engaged with youth service managers, youth workers and young people. All ETBs are aware that they can contact the UBU programme manager with any issues or concerns they have about services in their counties.
My officials maintain regular contact with the 30 national youth organisations funded under the Youth Service Grant Scheme and with Gaisce. This includes the National Youth Organisation Meeting which I attend twice a year to hear directly from the sector. The next meeting takes place on 06/07/2023. These organisations provide services on a nationwide basis, including to the young people of Kildare.
Officials from my Department meet with various youth organisations on an individual basis when the need arises, in regular formal meetings with individual organisations or as a group, and by maintaining informal contacts.
My Department will continue to engage with all stakeholders in the sector to ensure that we continue to provide important supports to youth organisations and to young people.
