Colm Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for that response. This is the first time I have seen the figure of €129,000. The Minister of State is correct in saying that 925 hours are allocated by the ETB but the problem with 925 hours is that it only equates to 1.5 teachers for the year for 45 students who have dropped out of school. These children have not fitted into the existing education system, as the Minister of State pointed out. A sum of €100,000 was being provided by the Christian Brothers for administrative and other supports for the people working at the centre. Were it not for the 16 people who are working there on a voluntary basis, the service would not be provided at all. All we are looking for is a bit of support.

I am not criticising the Minister of State or the Minister. In fairness to the Minister for Education and Skills, a representative from her office phoned me this morning to apologise for her absence this morning. I understand she is attending an EU meeting abroad and I fully appreciate her responsibility in that regard. However, we are now falling between three stools, that is, between the Departments of Justice and Equality, Education and Skills and Children and Youth Affairs. All I am saying is that if the centre is given adequate funding, it will save the Department of Justice and Equality a lot of money in the longer term. The Government must get its act together on this. The Life Centre provides a great service and the staff working there are hugely committed, particularly those who are working on a voluntary basis. The least we can do is give the centre a bit more support. We need the €100,000 the Christian Brothers were providing up until recently. The Government must replace that funding; otherwise, the facility cannot stay open. Simple issues like insurance, maintenance costs and so forth must be taken into account but the sum of €47,500 will not suffice. I ask that serious consideration be given to supporting the centre; otherwise, we will have 45 children on the streets of Cork who could end up going down the wrong road for the rest of their lives.