John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I am being told that intermittent and inadequate funding is a key challenge. Funding has been beset with delays and difficulties and that has had a real impact on the delivery of youth services and the ability to recruit and retain staff right across the sector. That is imposing severe challenges on youth service providers.

Youth Work Ireland, YWI, has submitted a business plan to the Minister and his Department and hopefully the Minister is familiar with it. YWI is calling on the Minister and the Government to support a number of key measures, including the reinvigoration of youth clubs as a key grassroots activity for young people which is particularly important in many rural and isolated communities.

I hear what the Minister is saying on the development of a new action plan but what is needed is an increase in funding. While the Minister says there was a 4% increase, in reality the budget has stayed stagnant over many years, at €73 million. We need to see a real, tangible increase in funding.

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