Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State listed off a lot of sums for once-off funding that are relatively modest. The particular funding stream that goes to ETBs for distribution in Laois - he also referred to Louth - is far lower. It is just above €15 per head of youth population in 2023. I accept and understand that there are parts of Dublin with the highest needs, but a gap of 1,000% needs to be looked at. The Minister of State also stated that what was received in previous years is taken into account. That is a bit like trying to get going from the lowest start with a handicap. This needs to be looked at. I remind him, without complaining or putting on the poor mouth, that there are parts of Laois and Offaly with high levels of deprivation. There is a huge migrant population. There are schools in Portlaoise town with 800 or 900 pupils, the majority of whom have non-Irish parents. They are foreign nationals. There is nothing wrong with that, but I am making the point that this gives rose to many challenges in trying to provide youth services locally. I ask that in the annual allocation of core funding to the ETBs, another look be taken at Laois and Offaly. Will the Minister of State communicate that to his party colleague the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman? Will the officials look at that again? It is stubbornly low in comparison with other counties and needs to be reviewed.

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