Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

While I acknowledge the year-on-year increase in funding, I want to convey the disappointment of the National Youth Council of Ireland because it released a statement and I am not sure it got the acknowledgement and the recognition it deserved. It did a lot of work coming up to the budget, as many organisations do. It sought €15 million and outlined exactly what that amount was needed for.

The council has also raised concern that, with additional funding of only €7 million, the new youth work strategy is at risk of not actually being implemented like its predecessor. That is the point it has made. While I welcome the strategy, it is important, going forward, that we ensure it can be funded and fully implemented. There are concerns that funding of €7 million will be insufficient to do that. It is important for the next Dáil, which will be elected shortly, that the strategy, which I welcome and acknowledge, is funded and implemented.

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