Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

As someone who fitted into the category of not being particularly sporty at that age, I recognise the importance of supporting the interests of young people beyond the area of sport. We in the Department have universal schemes and targeted schemes. The targeted schemes are to help young people, particularly in disadvantaged areas, but there is also the universal element. It is important that a young person from any area in the country should be able to avail of youth services. They are, as the Deputy outlined, so important to developing an individual's confidence, self-esteem and ability to lead. I recently engaged in a Zoom meeting with ECO-UNESCO, a group of young people focused on environmental issues. Their capacity to engage with me and to advocate was incredibly important and impressive. Their engagement with me prompted me to ensure this significant budget allocation, which is more than they asked for.

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