Dinny McGinley (Donegal South West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator for raising this matter, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs who is attending a Government meeting.

The Minister is conscious of the great benefits that can accrue to our young people from involvement in youth work and the benefits for society as a whole. Youth projects and organisations present valuable opportunities for the social and personal development of young people. Qualities and skills such as leadership, co-operation, decision-making, motivation, and self-responsibility can be acquired in a learning by doing manner. The aim of the youth service is to assist all young people to become active participants in a democratic society. In essence, the primary objective of the youth service is to help realise the potential of each young person and to facilitate their full participation in community life.

The youth affairs unit of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs provides a range of funding schemes, programmes and supports to the youth sector. Funding of some €53.498 million is available in 2013 to support the provision of youth services and programmes to young people throughout the country including those from disadvantaged communities. Targeted supports for disadvantaged, marginalised and at-risk young people are provided through the youth service grant scheme, the special projects for youth, SPY, scheme, the young peoples facilities and services fund, YPFSF, rounds 1 and 2 and local drugs task force, LDFT projects, youth information centres as well as other initiatives such as the local youth club grant scheme. The focus of this financial support in 2013, as in previous years, is on the consolidation of existing youth work provision and on the safeguarding of front-line programmes, particularly in disadvantaged communities.

The Minister is very much aware of the valuable services provided by Sphere 17 regional youth service to young people aged between ten and 21 years in areas such as Bonnybrook, Darndale and Priorswood in Dublin 17. Sphere 17 provides young people with a wide range of programmes and activities, seven days a week which reflect their needs, interests, capacity and age profile. These programmes and activities include personal and social development with a particular focus on recreation, education and health. Projects engage with young people in an open, creative and health focused way using a variety of youth friendly approaches. A team of trained and dedicated staff works with and for young people in the Dublin 17 area supporting them to achieve their potential and contribute positively to their communities. The Department provides funding to Sphere 17 regional youth service under a number of funding schemes. These are the SPY scheme, YPFSF rounds 1 and 2 and the LDTF. Funding of €788,839 has been allocated to Sphere 17 in 2013.

The overall budget of €53.498 million for the Department of Children and Youth Affairs in 2013 includes capital funding of €1.75 million. Of this funding up to €1 million is available for fit-out, refurbishment works or building enhancement projects for the start-up of new youth cafes. A total of 95 applications was received under the youth cafe scheme this year, which is being administered by Pobal on behalf of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, and the Department understands that an application for capital funding under this scheme was received from Sphere 17. The initial appraisal process of the applications received is in the final stages. It is expected that applications that are successful will go through to the next round of the process and will be notified in the coming weeks. The final decisions about youth cafes to be funded under this scheme will be made at the end of October 2013. Details of the application process for the remaining youth capital funding which amounts to €500,000 in 2013 will be available in due course.