Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Estimate provision for my Department in 2014 will amount to €449 million. The allocation consists of €414 million in current expenditure and €35 million in capital expenditure. This level of investment demonstrates that while operating within difficult budgetary constraints, this Government is strongly committed to delivering important reforms and service developments for children and families. The overall resource allocation is especially significant when account is taken of the €8 million in savings which are built-in as a result of commitments made in the comprehensive review of expenditure 2012-14. Details of these savings to which the Deputy referred and the programmes' savings to which they refer are set out fully in the 2014 expenditure report published by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform on 15 October last in the context of budget. As the Deputy said, these include a reduction in commitments under existing contracts in the national longitudinal study and national children's strategy, savings as a result of completion of the pilot stage of the early intervention programme, a targeted reduction on the school completion programme and savings in administration and programme costs associated with the operations of the Family Support Agency.

Unfortunately, there is a reduction in funding for various youth programmes but I have succeeded in getting a large scaling-back of the proposed reductions in the comprehensive expenditure review required in this area.

The reductions will now be far less than those proposed in that review. My Department is finalising the proposed allocations for youth programmes in 2014. I emphasise that to the greatest extent possible, savings are being achieved through increased efficiencies, operating efficiencies and value for money to protect front-line initiatives. Like Deputy Ó Caoláin, I clearly value the front-line work that is being done. Of course we have to live within our budget. Given the allocation for 2014, I believe we will be able to provide a significant level of public services in this area, including a number of new policy initiatives that have been funded in the budget.

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