Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

The Minister will be aware that these youth services were put into the most disadvantaged areas of the country. That has not gone away, it has got worse. In the question I asked the Minister to reverse the cuts. I have been at meetings in The Base in Ballyfermot, the Cherry Orchard Integrated Youth Service and Ballyfermot Youth Services, and this applies right across the board in all other areas. The youth services are being cut, from 60 youth services down to 45.

Further cuts, we are told, will have a drastic effect on the service that these projects can provide for our youth. Early intervention prevents possible police contact, dropouts from school, etc. Those involved in these projects say they cannot take any more. They are cut to the bone. The 10% cut is too much. The 6% cut is too much. They have been cut by nearly 30% in the past five years, by the previous Government and this Government. There has been no change in policy to ring-fence these services and that is what is needed.

At a community policing forum in Crumlin recently, the cuts in youth services was debated. The police stated they were having difficulty in linking in and getting the service they needed in the area, and there was general agreement from the superintendent and the forum itself that a letter be written to the Minister stating that there should be no more cuts in the youth services.

The Government states €1 billion has been saved from the promissory note. Why not use some of that funding to ring-fence these services that are crucial in the area? There are certain areas that should not be cut and this is one such area.

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