Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 June 2014
790. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the amount of the €35 million designated to his Department for direct Exchequer capital, funding according to the Government Estimates for 2014, is expected to go towards construction-related projects; if he will list the projects; if he will provide an update on any of these projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25549/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraOf the €35 million designated for capital funding in 2014, a total of €33.9 million is allocated for construction related projects, including refurbishment and improvement works. The 2014 capital allocation includes the provision of €30.871 million to meet the costs of the construction project to develop new national children detention centres at Oberstown, Lusk, Co.Dublin. The site is already the location for the existing children detention schools (Trinity House School, Oberstown Boys School and Oberstown Girls School) which provide places to the courts for boys aged up to 17 years and girls aged up to 18 years ordered to be remanded or committed.
The facilities being developed at Oberstown will provide sufficient new capacity to enable the transfer of responsibility for 17 year old boys from the Irish Prison Service and meet the commitment in the Programme for Government to end the practice of detaining children in adult prison facilities. Construction on the project commenced on site in September 2013 and the first new residential units, which will prioritise the provision of residential places for 17 year old boys ordered to be detained, will be delivered in fourth quarter of 2014. The project will also deliver associated education, recreation, visiting, medical and other ancillary facilities. It is planned that the project will be fully completed during 2015.
Under the Early Years Childcare Capital Programme €2.5 million is being made available for community childcare facilities and is being directed to two specific purposes, namely large-scale maintenance works and quality improvements and sustainability works. A list of qualifying projects is not yet available.
A further €0.5 million has been allocated to Youth Projects under various schemes, for capital improvements to existing services. The application process to avail of this funding has yet to be announced.
