Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I agree with the Deputy that we need an integrated approach to the programmes that aim to support children and young people, especially for those at high risk. My concern is to ensure that we target our programmes and funding so that the most vulnerable people are reached effectively and in a way that makes sense in their lives.

My Department administers a range of funding schemes and programmes to support the provision of youth services by the voluntary youth sector to young people throughout the country. The funding schemes support national and local youth work provision to some 380,000 young people. The voluntary youth sector involves approximately 1,400 paid staff, including youth workers, and 40,000 volunteers working in youth work services and communities throughout the country.

I was pleased to provide an additional €5.5 million in current funding for voluntary youth services in 2017. This is a 10% increase over 2016 and will support, in the main, the targeted programmes for young people who are at risk of drugs or alcohol misuse, homelessness, unemployment or early school leaving.

From within this budget, my Department provides funding to projects that are located in disadvantaged areas where a significant addiction problem exists or has the potential to develop. The objective is to attract "at risk" young people into facilities and activities and divert them away from the dangers of substance abuse. These schemes target young people who are at risk because they live in a disadvantaged community context and are vulnerable to drugs, addiction and alcohol misuse or are out of school or at risk of homelessness. These schemes account for 70% of the funding available to my Department for the provision of youth services.

As the Deputy knows, these services are generally delivered on a non-formal or out-of-school basis to supplement the work of the education sector and to reach young people through non-formal means. I agree with the Deputy that the co-operation between the schools and this work of the youth services in terms of the schemes that they are involved in would ensure a more effective and efficient way of tackling these issues.

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