Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 10 July 2019
366. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which she continues to interact with youth organisations nationally and in County Kildare with a view to providing financial support as required; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30451/19]
Amharc ar fhreagra367. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which her Department continues to liaise with groups involved in providing support for young persons nationally on an ongoing basis; the extent of such activity and award of financial support to date in 2019 in this regard nationally and in County Kildare in particular; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30452/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 366 and 367 together.
My Department maintains close contact with the National Youth Organisations and I, and officials from my Department, meet formally with these organisations twice a year to share knowledge and information on developments in the youth sector. Most recently I met with the National Youth Organisations at a venue in Dublin on 11th April 2019.
In addition to this my Department has committed to convene formal meetings twice yearly between the Department and the 5 largest grantees from 2018 onwards. In May my officials met with Youth Work Ireland, Scouting Ireland, National Youth Council Ireland, Crosscare and Foróige in this regard.
Future development and investment in youth services will be informed by the mapping exercise completed in 2017, which mapped youth service provision across the State as well as an Area Profiling, Needs Assessment and Service Requirement tool which was designed in collaboration with the Education and Training Board (ETB) sector and was officially launched in January 2019. 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 ETBs to identify need and explore ways to address this need where it emerges.
The funding for the provision of youth services is administered on behalf of my Department by the ETBs. Funded Youth Services based in Kildare are overseen by Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board (KWETB) in matters relating to grants and service provision.
