Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Deputy for raising the issue of the crisis in the youth services in the north inner city, which gives me an opportunity to set out the position regarding these services. Supporting youth services is an absolute priority for the Department of Education and Youth, ensuring that young people in the north inner city of Dublin and across the country have access to valuable resources and opportunities.

The UBU your place your space, scheme is the Department’s largest funded youth scheme. It targets young people aged between ten and 24 who are identified as marginalised, vulnerable and at risk of not flourishing. A budget of €50.7 million was allocated under the UBU scheme in 2025, representing a 6% increase on budget 2024. Over €17 million of the UBU scheme has been allocated to the City of Dublin Education and Training Board in its capacity as a grant administering body in respect of the scheme.

More specifically, €2.8 million was allocated to five UBU youth services that support young people in the north inner city. This year, in addition to the base allocation of the UBU funding, the Department is providing a further support of €170,000 in recognition of the challenges facing the youth services to address the needs of young people in the north inner city. The aim of this additional funding was to provide additional youth services in the north east inner city, NEIC, to ensure that young people who are marginalised, disadvantaged or vulnerable are afforded the opportunity to participate in voluntary youth services to support their wellbeing.

The Department is also represented in the north east inner city's task force, including its various subgroups. The Department participates in subgroup 3, which focuses on supporting children, young people and family wellbeing. A key objective of the current NEIC strategic plan, being led by subgroup 3, is to develop a strategic plan for youth work and youth services in the area. Department officials are working closely with the NEIC structures to progress and support this objective.

The Department funds the NEIC city connects pilot project, currently running in ten NEIC primary schools and eight schools serving children of post-primary age who live in the north east inner city. City connects organises student support and leverages existing school and community-based resources to improve students' academic and social-emotional outcomes. This includes relevant youth services in the area. Working together with the city connects team, some youth services in the area have been able to adapt or change the services they provide to ensure they are meeting the strengths, interests and needs of young people based on information provided by these young people to the city connects team. The Department is actively engaged in reviewing and strengthening the youth work services in the north inner city to ensure they are responsive to the evolving needs of young people, inclusive in their reach and effectively resourced.

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