Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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5. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will outline the cuts in the previous budgets to youth services; if her attention has been drawn to the impact of these cuts on the youth communities where these services are based; and the way she intends to prevent further cuts in Budget 2014. [38915/13]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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My Department provides a range of funding schemes and supports to the youth sector. In 2013 funding of some €53.5 million has been made available for these schemes. This funding will support youth work programmes and youth services serving some 400,000 young people, delivered by over 1,400 youth work personnel, who in turn support a large volunteer base of some 40,000 individuals.

The Deputy is aware that my Department, along with all other Departments, has been required to achieve significant savings on schemes and services in line with the reductions set out in the comprehensive review of expenditure, in line with which there was a cumulative reduction of €7.5 million over the course of the subsequent two budgets.

Obviously, in looking at the determination process for youth allocations, I have sought that the front-line services are protected as much as is possible, particularly services for vulnerable young people. We have asked the bigger organisations to consider the scope for reducing administration costs and overheads. I have also asked the youth sector to co-operate and work together to ensure they can deliver services in local areas so there is no overlap, if at all possible, and we can maintain front-line services for young people.

It should be noted that, under the comprehensive review of expenditure, there has been no cut to the voluntary youth clubs. This funding plays an important role in supporting volunteer-led youth groups and in promoting and leveraging valuable voluntary activity in youth work. In addition, €1.5 million is being provided in 2013 for youth cafes and youth projects. Earlier this year, I outlined the new capital funding scheme for youth cafes and over 90 applications were received by the Department. This shows the demand for these very good initiatives for young people at local level, which the young people themselves suggested were needed in their areas. We are currently reviewing those applications.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House.

Officials of my Department have recently met with representatives of all the national organisations that are funded under the youth service grant scheme to share information and to hear from the organisations about the impact of the reductions in funding on the services that they provide. In addition, I have met with, and continue to meet with, many youth projects and organisations from around the country to try and see how we can work together to ensure the most effective use of the public funding invested in youth services. Only this week I attended a meeting of the National Youth Work Advisory Committee in County Wexford, which was attended by senior representatives of the National Council of Ireland and national youth work organisations.

Finally, my Department is also undertaking a value for money and policy review of youth funding and the findings of this report will inform the future development of youth programmes and services.

Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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I thank the Minister but the reality on the ground is very different from what she has outlined in her reply. I want to focus on the youth clubs and youth projects in the inner city. We know the statistics. There are areas with over 60% of parents being lone parents and pockets with 40% unemployed. We know of the serious misuse and abuse of alcohol and drugs and of areas of really serious deprivation. There are areas where there is disposable income for after-school activities but that is not the reality for young people and teenagers in some of these inner city areas.

In July, I attended an event organised by the youth projects, where the young people themselves spoke. There was a great quote from one of the young people: "In an area where young people might not have had many opportunities to achieve and shine, this club celebrates their achievements, holds their proud moments and keeps alive the memory of what they have done and what is yet to be achieved, big or small". They are providing the services for early school leavers, for those in schools, for young parents and particularly for those in crisis situations. The reality is that the cuts have seen programmes having to close, a reduction in contact hours with young people and the loss of innovative programmes, not to mention the 22% salary cut for some of the youth workers. I accept what the Minister is saying but the reality is very different.

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I suppose that if the Deputy asked any Minister in this House about the budgetary situation over the past few years, he or she would have to agree there has been an impact because of the overall financial situation we face. We are prioritising managing the public finances, improving our rates of growth and dealing with unemployment because that is what will make a difference in the overall context.

Of course, there has been some impact on youth services, where there have been reductions. However, to take the Deputy's own area as an example, in 2013 some €2,175,079 has been invested in services, ranging from the East Wall-North Port Youth Development Group, which is getting €115,000; Bradóg, which is getting €402,000; the Stoneybatter group, which is getting €381,000; the adventure sports project, which is getting €129,000; and Cappagh for Youth, which is getting €103,000 - all amounting, as I said, to over €2 million.

I take the point that if there is any cutback at all in those services, there is an impact. However, we are trying to protect the front line. In the forthcoming budget, I will certainly be doing everything to ensure youth services are protected because I recognise, as the Deputy said, the contribution made by youth work, particularly in disadvantaged areas. Youth workers are doing a wonderful job and there are superb initiatives all over the country. I would like to support them as much as possible but it is dependent on the overall budgetary situation.

Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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The youth clubs and youth projects are very significant preventative measures. The Minister spoke earlier about Oberstown. We know there is a disproportionate number of young people and older people from areas such as Dublin 1, 3 and 7 going into Oberstown, Mountjoy and St. Patrick's. These youth clubs and youth projects are doing great work to prevent that. When the young people's facilities and services fund was set up back in 1999, I chaired the group for the north inner city so I know the projects the Minister has mentioned and I know the difference this funding made. I am just wondering about the current position.

Another part of this was the small grants fund. While it was small, it had a very good impact for those projects that were in need of just a small amount of money to run or develop a programme or for somebody in a crisis situation. I would love to see that small grants fund coming back in, if the Minister could find the money for it.

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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Perhaps the Deputy will correspond with me further on that suggestion about the small grants fund. If there are particular services she feels are being unduly affected, perhaps she would bring those to my attention and I would be very happy to examine that. We are genuinely trying to protect front-line services as much as possible.