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

My Department administers a range of funding schemes and programmes to support the provision of youth services to young people throughout the country. In 2014, funding of €50.5 million, including €750,000 capital funding, was made available. The funding supports some 400,000 young people, approximately 1,400 youth work staff in 477 projects and 40,000 volunteers - a very sizeable number - working in clubs throughout the country.

A range of projects are supported under the Young People's Facilities and Services Fund, mainly in areas where a significant drug problem exists. The focus is on the local drugs task force areas, which are in Dublin, Bray, Cork, Galway, Limerick, Waterford and Carlow. The objective is to attract at-risk young people to divert them and give them alternative support. The fund aims to support marginalised young people in the ten to 21 year age group. The 242 projects supported by the fund typically employ two or more youth workers. In 2014, €18.4 million will be made available to these projects. In addition, funding of €1.15 million has been allocated to local drug task force projects in 2014.

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