John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 and 51 together.

The young people's facilities and services fund, YPFSF, aims to assist in the development of youth facilities, including sport and recreational facilities, and services in disadvantaged areas where a significant drug problem exists or has the potential to develop. The objective of the fund is to attract "at risk" young people in disadvantaged areas into these facilities and activities and divert them away from the dangers of substance abuse. The target group for the fund is ten to 21 year olds who are marginalised through a combination of risk factors relating to family background, environmental circumstances, educational disadvantage and involvement in crime or drugs etc.

The fund operates in the 14 local drugs task force areas, 12 in Dublin, Bray and Cork, and in Galway, Limerick, Waterford and Carlow town. Following an announcement earlier this year, the fund will be extended to Arklow, Athlone, Dundalk and Wexford in the coming months. Since it was established in 1998, the Government has allocated over €150 million under the fund. Over €66 million has been provided for capital developments, which include the building, upgrading, fit-out and refurbishment of approximately 220 youth and community facilities in the different target areas. In 2008, current funding of the order of €17 million will be provided to support the employment of more than 350 youth and outreach workers, centre managers, sports development officers and administration staff.

In this context, the Deputy should note that 24 sports development officers are currently being supported under the fund in the designated areas, including two in Limerick following a recent proposal from the Limerick regeneration agencies. These officers use sport as a tool to engage young people in active recreation and leisure pursuits and facilities at the level to suit their needs. The Deputy should also note that 13 "Football in the Community" development officers are also being employed under the fund, including four recently announced posts for Limerick city. These posts are being co-funded by the FAI and, in the case of the nine posts in Dublin, by Dublin City Council. A call for the development of further capital facilities in the amount of €4 million was announced earlier this year. The young people's facilities and services fund development groups have submitted proposals for funding and these are under consideration at present.

Overall, I believe the fund has had a very positive impact on communities since it commenced nearly ten years ago. Over the years, the areas covered under the fund had been marked by a serious dearth of facilities and services and many of the clubs and community groups in those areas had traditionally not been able to access funding from other mainstream schemes to the same extent as more affluent areas.

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