Brian Stanley
Ceist:57. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her plans to increase the funding for youth work projects in County Laois in view of the growing young population. [50223/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 28 November 2017
Ceisteanna (57)
Freagraí scríofa
Laois Youth Services received €86,803 in funding in 2017 under the Special Projects for Youth scheme. Under this Scheme, grant-aid is made available in respect of out-of-school projects for disadvantaged young people. Priority is given to projects in the spheres of special youth work initiatives, young homeless people, young people at risk of substance abuse and young travellers. Funding to staff-led youth services has generally been targeted at areas of disadvantage and not in proportion to the youth population of a county.
In addition, funding has been provided to Laois Offaly Education and Training Board under the Local Youth Club Grant Scheme, Youth Capital Funding Scheme and the Local Youth Club Equipment Scheme.
The Deputy may be aware that my Department is managing the most significant reform of youth services ever undertaken. This will provide an opportunity to identify need and to focus funding on young people most in need of intervention.
Under this reform earlier this year, I approved funding of €800,000 for the establishment of new youth projects and for the augmentation of a small number of existing youth services to meet new challenges arising from population increases. An application in respect of Laois was, unfortunately, not successful. However I would encourage further applications in respect of Laois for any funding that becomes available.
Future development and investment in youth services will be informed by the recently completed exercise which mapped youth service provision across the State. This mapping will assist the Department and the relevant ETB in developing a detailed social demographic profile in terms of both population numbers and deprivation levels. My Department is committed to working with Laois and Offaly ETB to identify need and explore ways to address this need where it emerges.