Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 13 May 2003

Vol. 566 No. 3

Written Answers. - Youth Facilities and Services Fund.

Tony Gregory

Ceist:

452 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the position regarding the mainstreaming of phase one activities regarding the youth facilities and services fund; the commitments for staffing for capital projects under phase one; and the details of the plans submitted early in 2002 for phase two investment in local drugs task force areas. [12648/03]

Minister of State at the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs (Mr. N. Ahern)

The National Assessment Committee, NAC, of the young peoples facilities and services fund, which is chaired by my Department, is examining the services projects funded under round one of the fund. The intention would be that, where they are found to be effective, they will be mainstreamed, thereby enabling their ongoing provision by statutory agencies.

Qualification for continued funding is dependent on the successful evaluation of each project by the services steering group, which has been set up to examine the projects, and subject to sufficient funding being in place. The work of the steering group has been completed and recommendations have been made to the NAC with a view to making final recommendations to the Cabinet committee on social inclusion at its June meeting. The development groups will be informed as soon as possible thereafter of the approved recommendations.

The position regarding the commitments for staffing capital projects under phase 1 and the plans for phase 2 investment in local drug task force areas is that these are also being considered by the NAC. That committee is having discussions with the State agencies which are responsible for managing and developing the facilities involved as to the best way forward. The Cabinet committee recently considered a number of issues in relation to the operation of the fund and the matter remains under review.