Séamus Healy (Tipperary South, Independent)
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Question 3: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he will immediately grant young people's facilities and service fund status to the town of Clonmel, as requested by the RAPID organisation, in view of the fact that Clonmel is under-resourced in the staffing and provision of youth programmes, that this deficiency has precluded the development of important initiatives to enhance social inclusion and that a significant drug problem has developed in the town; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31391/06]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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The young people's facilities and services fund was established by Government in 1998 to assist in the development of youth facilities, including sport and recreational facilities, and services in disadvantaged areas where a significant drug problem exists or has the potential to develop. The objective of the fund is to attract "at risk" young people into these facilities and divert them away from substance misuse. The fund currently covers the 14 local drug task force areas in Dublin, Bray and Cork, as well as projects in Limerick, Waterford, Carlow and Galway. The possibility of expanding the number of urban areas which are eligible for funding from the young people's facilities and services fund may be considered in the coming period. Any decision in that regard would be based on evidence of a significant drug problem in a particular centre or the potential for a drug problem to develop. In that regard, I have recently received a paper from the national drugs strategy team, prepared under action 85 of the national drugs strategy, which identifies the urban areas of greatest need based on treatment numbers, seizures of heroin and cocaine and a number of indicators of socioeconomic disadvantage. Clonmel is not identified as a priority in this paper.

The ten regional drugs task forces, including the south-eastern regional drugs task force which covers the Clonmel area, are now implementing the actions plans for their regions and a sum of €5 million has been allocated this year in that regard. Opportunities for funding projects in Clonmel may arise in this context, given that the south-eastern regional drugs task force allocation is approximately €900,000 for 2006. The Deputy may also be aware that a portion of the allocations from the dormant accounts scheme in 2006 is ring-fenced for RAPID areas such as Clonmel. In this regard, I am pleased to advise that an allocation of €180,000 to Clonmel Community Partnership was approved in July. This provision will pay for the refurbishment of a community facility, staffing for two youth workers, and activities and developmental programmes for young people in the Clonmel area.

Séamus Healy (Tipperary South, Independent)
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I am disappointed with the Minister of State's reply because it indicates that the fund will not be made available to Clonmel. Does the series of drug-related murders which took place in the town over the past few years not represent evidence of a drug problem? A youth task force based in the town, Clann Óg, sent a request to the Minister for additional youth workers and reported that Clonmel is seriously under-resourced with regard to youth workers and facilities. Is prevention not better than cure and is it not preferable to provide services and facilities at an early stage so as to nip problems in the bud? Far more resources and funding will be required if these problems have to be addressed at a later stage. The request from Clann Óg for five additional youth workers is evidence of the need to make funds available to Clonmel. Does the Minister of State not agree on the necessity of funding programmes such as a springboard family project, a neighbourhood youth programme for Elm Park and youth services for the RAPID areas of the town? I urge him to reconsider the issue with a view to providing funds and additional youth workers to Clonmel.

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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While I acknowledge the Deputy's comments, it would be misleading to give the impression that Clonmel or the south east has not been well resourced simply because the young people's fund covers the 14 local drugs task forces. Several years ago, four additional provincial centres, namely Limerick, Waterford, Carlow and Galway, two of which are in the south east, were selected for funding for current services. In the past couple of months, Carlow, Waterford and Limerick were the first areas outside the original 14 to receive funding for capital projects. The south east has done extremely well and Clonmel has benefited from the dormant accounts scheme, which allocated €300,000 to urban areas and €200,000 to smaller towns. The Clonmel Community Partnership received €180,000 to cover the cost of two youth workers, as well as funding for other projects. In the past few years, Clonmel has also received a significant grant for a swimming pool.

The Department of Education and Science provides the majority of funding for youth workers, whereas the young people's fund from my Department specifically covers at-risk youths. The independent report of the drugs strategy team referred in particular to Leinster towns such as Arklow, Portlaoise and Athlone and did not identify Clonmel as a priority. I had no part in the authorship of the report and, as far as I am aware, it based its findings on treatment, drug seizures and socioeconomic data. I will ask the team whether murders were also considered. A representative of the Garda Síochána was on the team and all relevant data should have been considered.

Séamus Healy (Tipperary South, Independent)
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The report by Clann Óg stated that Clonmel is under-resourced with regard to the number of youth workers in the town delivering youth programmes, a deficiency which precluded the development of important initiatives which could have enhanced social inclusion. Clonmel has not been granted funding for facilities and services for young people or for the springboard project and has not received adequate funding for projects under the drugs task force fund in 2005. I ask the Minister of State to read the Clann Óg report and to put Clonmel on the map for the youth services fund and additional youth resource workers.

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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The Department of Education and Science provides the bulk of the funds for youth workers. My Department has funded youth workers in Clonmel under the dormant accounts scheme and the RAPID programme. I do not know whether these workers are in place. We are considering an expansion of the young people's fund but I do not want to give the Deputy false hopes because, based on the report I have received, Clonmel is not in the running.

Séamus Healy (Tipperary South, Independent)
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Is the Minister of State aware of the report by Clann Óg?

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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I am not.

Séamus Healy (Tipperary South, Independent)
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That report clearly indicates the town does not have sufficient resources or youth workers and that it has not attracted the level of funding received by other towns over the past year.

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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Have youth workers been employed yet with the money provided in July?

Séamus Healy (Tipperary South, Independent)
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The money provided in July represented a one-off grant from the dormant accounts scheme.

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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The grant provided for the employment of two youth workers.

Séamus Healy (Tipperary South, Independent)
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However, Clann Óg has requested five additional youth workers. Two are welcome but more are needed because the town has suffered serious drug-related crime over the past few years.