Vol. 550 No. 2
4 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation if he will report on the work carried out to date through the Young Peoples Facilities and Services Fund; the amount of money made available and expended each year since the establishment of the fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8288/02]
The Deputy will be aware that the young people's facilities and services fund was established in 1998 as part of the Government's overall strategy to tackle drug misuse. The fund aims to assist in the development of youth facilities, including sport and recreational facilities and services in disadvantaged areas where a significant drug problem exists or has the potential to develop. The objective of the fund is to attract at risk young people in disadvantaged areas into these facilities and activities and divert them away from the dangers of substance abuse. The target group for the fund is ten to 21 year olds who are marginalised through a combination of risk factors relating to family background, environmental circumstances, educational disadvantage, involvement in crime and-or drugs, etc.
The main focus of the fund has been on the local drugs task force areas where integrated plans were prepared on the basis of detailed guidelines agreed by the Cabinet Subcommittee on Social Inclusion and Drugs. Local development groups were set up in each area and comprised representatives from the relevant local drugs task force, the local authority and the VEC. These plans were submitted for consideration via the task forces to the national assessment committee chaired by my Department. The plans were assessed against the guidelines agreed and recommendations were then made to the Cabinet Subcommittee on Social Inclusion and Drugs.
Recognising that the drug problem is not confined to the drugs task force areas in Dublin and Cork city, funding was also allocated to a number of urban areas outside the task force areas where a serious drug problem exists or has the potential to develop. The target areas selected were Galway, Limerick, south Cork city, Waterford, Carlow and Bray. The vocational education committees in these areas and the health board in the case of Waterford were asked to take the lead in developing integrated drug prevention strategies in consultation with relevant statutory and community-voluntary interests on the basis guidelines agreed by the Cabinet Subcommittee on Social Inclusion and Drugs. The Deputy should note that south Cork city subsequently became part of the Cork local drugs task force while Bray was designated a drugs task force in its own right in 1999.
A separate allocation was also made to assist a number of voluntary organisations with a national or regional remit which have the capacity to deliver targeted education and pre vention initiatives. Under this allocation, seven voluntary organisations were approved funding to deliver drug prevention-education programmes, including peer education programmes, on a national basis.
An amount of €129.5 million has been provided under the national development plan to support measures under the fund. Since 1998, an amount of €60.2 million has been allocated and of this amount, €46.1 million has been allocated to local drugs task force areas while the urban areas of Galway, Waterford, Limerick and Carlow were allocated a further €1.9 million. In addition, the voluntary organisations referred to have been allocated €0.6 million and implementation costs of €2.5 million have also been allocated. The Springboard Initiative which falls under the remit of the Department of Health and Children was allocated an additional €9.1 million.
Additional Information.In broad terms, approximately 350 facility and services projects are being supported under the fund. These initiatives fall under seven broad headings: first, the building, renovating or fitting out of community centres, youth facilities and sports clubs so as to provide suitable accommodation for programmes and services geared for the most at risk young people in an area. Access for the target group is an essential condition of funding for capital projects; second, a number of purpose-built youth centres are being funded which will provide a focal point for youth activities in an area, particularly in areas such as Tallaght, Ballymun, Clondalkin, Blanchardstown in Dublin and, in Cork, where there has been a dearth of dedicated youth facilities; third, more than 85 youth and outreach workers have been appointed to work on the ground with the target group offering developmental activities and educational programmes for young people who have traditionally found themselves outside the scope of mainstream youth work due to family background, involvement with crime or drugs or through lack of education; fourth, ten sports workers have been employed to encourage greater involvement of the target group in sports and recreational activities; fifth, a wide variety of community-based prevention-education programmes, including early school leaving programmes, sports and recreational activities, family support programmes, art, drama and music programmes, counselling and transport services are being supported; sixth, a number of targeted interventions for particular groups such as youth work projects for young travellers have been put in place; and seventh, a number of national drugs education and training officers for youth organisations catering for the target group who will deliver programmes throughout the organisation have also been employed.
To date, €32.9 million has been allocated to capital projects in the task force areas. This was made up of an original allocation of €16.9 million in 1998 followed by increased capital allocations of €3.3 million in 2000 and €12.7 million in 2001 to meet shortfalls that had arisen and were identified by the development groups.
To date, there has been a relatively slow draw-down of the moneys allocated under the fund but this is expected to accelerate over the next 18 months or so when I expect that all of facilities projects will be completed. At the end of 2001, €22.2 million, 43% of the overall amount allocated to date, excluding the Springboard Initiative moneys, had been drawn down by the local authorities and vocational education committees to meet the commitments incurred. This amount is made up of €11.9 million in respect of capital projects and €10.3 million in respect of services projects and implementation costs. This leaves a balance of €28.9 million to be drawn down to meet outstanding commitments under the fund. By the end of 2003, I expect that all projects and initiatives supported under the fund to date will be completed and fully operational.
I would like to advise the Deputy that WRC Consultants were engaged in April 2001 to carry out an independent evaluation of the fund. The consultants are examining the effectiveness and impact of the fund at national plan and local level and the evaluation is expected to be completed later this year.
I thank the Minister of State for his reply and congratulate him on the initiatives he is taking and the work he is doing. Does he agree that much more needs to be done and that across the country we are seeing difficulties where drug and alcohol abuse are concerned? Does he agree that in many of our cities there are no-go areas at night because of alcohol abuse, that there are young people who are afraid to go out during the day in many towns and cities, that drug abuse and misuse among young people is growing at a frightening rate and that the policy so far does not seem to be working?
What evaluation of the programme has taken place to date? What action does the Minister of State propose to take given that the programme does not seem to be having the intended effect? Does he agree that young people throughout the country have very little to do at night and have nowhere to go and that we need a youth policy and to fund youth organisations to a greater extent than at present? We need trained youth workers to interact with young people but this is not happening to the extent it should be.
I agree with some of what the Deputy said. The programme is working in the areas to which the money has been allocated. Approximately 350 projects are being funded, including capital projects, 60 to 70 youth workers, sports workers and a variety of programmes. I agree with the Deputy regarding drugs and that is why we set up a national drugs strategy, which covers the entire country, and regional structures. Those regions will come up with a plan and the type of projects the Deputy mentioned in their areas.
On whether the programme is working, WRC Consultants were asked to evaluate how the programme is going and whether we are hitting the target group. They will report later this year with their findings on how it is working.
I honestly believe the young people's facilities and services fund is probably one of the best programmes there is. Whether it needs to be extended around the country is an argument that needs to be looked at. From talking to people in the sector, it has proven to be a great source of funds and one which can quickly pay out. We have had a phenomenal response from people working in disadvantaged areas. It has been very positively received.
Will the Minister of State see to it that other areas that might need help receive it? How many young people are actively engaged through the working of the fund?
Extending the programme will be the job of the next Government but it should be extended. It is a very important fund and it really does get to its target audience.
We asked the consultants to ascertain if it is getting to the target group and approximately how many young people between ten and 21 are benefiting. I can only give the House anecdotal information. I have seen a great many of the projects that money from this fund went into and it has been successful. When WRC, the consultants, report to us we will have a more accurate idea.
When is that due?
It is due in about four months time.
