Kevin O'Keeffe
Ceist:299. Deputy Kevin O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the position regarding an application for the funding of a youth project (details supplied). [6228/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraWednesday, 8 February 2017
Ceisteanna (299)
Freagraí scríofa
The Youth Affairs Unit of my Department provides a range of funding schemes, programmes and supports to the youth sector. Funding of €51m for current expenditure is available from my Department in 2016 to support the provision of youth services and programmes to young people throughout the country including those from disadvantaged communities. The funding schemes support national and local youth work provision to some 380,000 young people. It is estimated that the voluntary youth services involve approximately 1,400 youth work staff in 477 projects and 40,000 volunteers working throughout the country.
Budget 2017 has provided an additional €5.5m in current funding to my Department to support the provision of youth services. This will bring the total youth funding in 2017 to €57.4m. This additional funding will be used for programmes that target disadvantaged young people and to assist national youth organisations in their work to support local voluntary youth services. My Department has commenced the process with national organisations and local services to identify service development needs for 2017 and to agree the 2017 allocations.
The Deputy will be aware that a number of funding schemes supporting youth services were the subject of a Value for Money and Policy Review in 2014. The review involved an in-depth scrutiny of the impact youth service provision has on young people’s lives. The review made a number of recommendations for the future operation of the youth schemes and their development in the years ahead.
Work on the development of a new funding scheme has been prioritised by my Department and consultations with youth services are continuing with a view to introducing the new youth funding programme in line with the review over the coming years.
My Department has embarked on an exercise, in conjunction with Pobal and each Education and Training Board (ETB) Youth Officer, which will map youth service provision across the State. This mapping exercise will assist my Department and the relevant ETB in developing a detailed socio-demographic profile in terms of both population numbers and deprivation levels. It is my intention that this mapping exercise will inform future development and investment in youth services, including areas such as Mitchelstown.