Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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9. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the programmes in place to assist with the development of youth services; the funding for these for each of the past three years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14019/14]

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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I call Deputy Ó Cuív. Galway West is doing well in Question Time today.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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We are doing well, and Galway East is in the Chair.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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For the moment.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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It is a west of Ireland takeover.

I believe that investment in youth services is very important because we know that the cost of not having youth services, particularly for young people growing up in disadvantaged communities, actually leads to further costs for the State down the road. My question is what funding is available, whether the trend of the funding is up or down and what action the Minister plans to ensure that youth services are provided.

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I thank Deputy Ó Cuív for his question and endorsement of the importance of youth services. I know he has an interest in this area. I agree that funding schemes and programmes for the provision of youth services to young people throughout the country should continue in so far as possible. I have provided some information to the House already but I will summarise it.

The schemes include the youth service grant scheme, under which funding is made available on an annual basis to 31 national and major regional youth organisations. I referred in an earlier reply to the targeted programme for disadvantaged areas and the local drugs task force projects. Funding is also provided to Léargas - the Exchange Bureau, Gaisce, the local youth club grant scheme and youth information centres. I have provided the figures relating to the range of services which are supported, such as the 400,000 volunteers and 1,400 youth work staff. I am continually impressed by the quality of the work.

In 2014 current funding of €49.78 million is being provided by the Department for youth schemes and programmes. In 2013 the funding amounted to €51.74 million. We have also made capital allocations to youth services over a three-year period, comprising €0.5 million in 2012, €1.75 million in 2013 and €0.75 million in 2014. The 2013 allocation included capital funding of €1.5 million for a specific youth café initiative which has received great support throughout the country and with which the Deputy will be familiar.

Capital funding of €250,000 has been earmarked for play and recreation and that programme is being developed. We have also had €0.5 million for small capital grants for youth projects. There is a range of initiatives for this year in the area of capital allowances which will support local youth projects, and details regarding the eligibility criteria for those capital grants will be announced in the summer.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I did not hear the full figures for the last three years. Was it somewhere around €51.7 million for 2012 and 2013?

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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That was the figure for 2013. The figure for 2012 was €56.8 million.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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There has been a significant reduction in funding. I know the approach of the Department for Public Expenditure and Reform is to just take money across the board, without discriminating in terms of where the cuts fall. Certain things do not change, but at the end of the day, €50 billion is being spent in current expenditure and choices have to be made. Would the Minister agree that cutting youth services is penny wise and pound foolish? Saving €7 million looks to the lay person like a significant sum of money but in the context of the total budget it is akin to a family saving €7 per year. It is foolish because of the extra burden that will be placed on the Department of Justice and Equality in the future in terms of more crime, anti-social behaviour and so forth. Has there been a debate about the need to rebalance budgets and to prioritise issues such as youth services, where one is talking about a very small amount of money making a huge difference in terms of diverting children away from crime?

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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Obviously, my Department, along with all other Departments, has been required to deliver substantial savings in recent years, in line with the comprehensive review of expenditure for 2012 to 2014. In determining the annual allocations for youth programmes I must have regard to the savings required of my Department but I have sought to ensure that front-line services, particularly those for the most vulnerable young people, are protected as far as possible. There was a discussion during the budget negotiations last year about this and I highlighted the importance of youth services. I was very pleased to secure additional funding for my Department which meant that the reductions in the youth services area were considerably smaller than what had been intended originally. The final reduction was 3.75%. I attended a significant youth conference yesterday and it was highlighted to me that the minimising of the reduction was very much appreciated by the sector. The importance of youth services was acknowledged in my discussions with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Howlin, and others. It meant that the intended reductions were significantly reduced. I agree with Deputy Ó Cuív that we must focus on prevention and early intervention. All of the studies show that there is a saving to the Exchequer if we invest wisely in the early years. Generally, we must have more of a focus on early intervention.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I could not agree more with the Minister on her last point. I know that when we had the midnight soccer programme running, there was a 30% decrease in anti-social behaviour in various housing estates. Obviously, idle hands create difficulties. Does the Department still recognise the particular challenges faced by those in the RAPID areas in the context of youth services? Does the Minister accept that extra supports are needed in those areas, given that they are the most socially disadvantaged communities in the country? Has there been a front-loading of resources for those areas? Is the concept of RAPID still recognised by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs?

Concern has been expressed about Galway youth services, as the Minister knows. Will the Minister be able to do anything to address those concerns?

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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On the second question, representations were made to me last year about the Galway youth service. We examined the particular points that were raised and were in a position to give some extra funding. If there are other issues arising now, I ask Deputy Ó Cuív to correspond with me in that regard and I will respond forthwith. We have directed funding at services which were at risk, or perceived risk, in terms of their sustainability. We have taken decisions to allocate extra funding to areas that would be identified under the RAPID programme. We are very keen to support services in areas that face more pressures and where young people need extra supports. When grants are being allocated, such considerations are very much to the fore in the Department.