Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 929: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the grants and other financial assistance awarded by her Department in each of the past three years to men's organisations and groups or organisations providing services primarily for men, including the name of the organisation or group; the amount awarded; and the purpose for which it was awarded. [10660/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Various business units of my Department fund organisations that provide services for both men and women. The youth affairs section of the Department administers the youth service grants scheme. The continued funding of voluntary youth organisations through this scheme is intended to ensure the emergence, promotion, growth and development of youth organisations with distinctive philosophies and programmes aimed at the social education of young people.

Funding for the support of voluntary youth work is made available on an annual basis to 31 national and major regional voluntary youth organisations through this scheme. Of these 31 youth organisations, four provide services exclusively for females and one provides services exclusively for males. Funding under the youth service grants scheme for the last three years, male only, was as follows: Boys Brigade, 2004, €16,510; 2003, €15,860; and 2002, €15,427.

The further education section of the Department funds the education equality initiative. Its objective is to address gaps in the provision of education and training for educationally disadvantaged men and women and specific marginalised groups. Funding is intended to be used to seed innovation and learning which will inform future practice, particularly in ensuring effective strategies for those who are most in need. It provides for education, training and supports to develop models of good practice and to promote community education models to disadvantaged adults.

Funding under the education equality initiative, phase 2, male only, is as follows. The Mevagh Resource Group was awarded €138,659 in 2004 under phase 2 of the education equality Initiative. This project was set up to identify the educational needs of rural men.

Nexus Europe Limited was awarded €300,000 in 2004 under the education equality initiative, phase 2. This project was set up to address educational needs of older single men in two west of Ireland communities.

The gender equality unit of the Department has funded the Men's Development Network which received a development grant of €20,916 in 2003. The grant was awarded to upgrade their website to incorporate information on the gender equality unit of the Department of Education and Science, develop a database, and develop a monthly newsletter.

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 930: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the grants and other financial assistance awarded by her Department in each of the past three years to women's organisations and groups or organisations providing services primarily for women, including the name of the organisation or group; the amount awarded; and the purpose for which it was awarded. [10661/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Various business units of my Department fund organisations that provide services for both men and women. The youth affairs section of the Department administers the youth service grants scheme. The continued funding of voluntary youth organisations through this scheme is intended to ensure the emergence, promotion, growth and development of youth organisations with distinctive philosophies and programmes aimed at the social education of young people.

Funding for the support of voluntary youth work is made available on an annual basis to 31 national and major regional voluntary youth organisations through this scheme. Of these 31 youth organisations, four provide services exclusively for females and one provides services exclusively for males.

Funding under the youth service grants scheme for the last three years, female only, was as follows:

The youth affairs section of the Department also administers the special projects for youth scheme. The continued funding of special projects through this scheme is intended to provide out-of-school youth work programmes and services for young people in particular need, that is, those young people who are deemed to be at risk due to a number of factors, including substance abuse, early school-leaving, crime and homelessness. Projects facilitate the personal and social development of participants, thus enabling them to realise their full potential. This aim underpins all programmes and activities of special projects for youth. Funding was made available on a once-off basis in 2004 to one project providing services exclusively for females as follows: Young Mothers in Education project, Galway received €25,000 in 2004.

The further education section of the Department funds the education equality initiative. Its objective is to address gaps in the provision of education and training for educationally disadvantaged men and women and specific marginalised groups. Funding is intended to be used to seed innovation and learning which will inform future practice, particularly in ensuring effective strategies for those who are most in need. It provides for education, training and supports to develop models of good practice and to promote community education models to disadvantaged adults.

Funding under the education equality initiative, phase two, female only, is as follows. Ballyfermot Partnership was awarded €244,000 in 2004 under the education equality initiative, phase two. This project is designed to empower adults to be involved in an holistic learning experience with their children.

Ennis Community Development Project was awarded €97,600 in 2004 under the education equality initiative, phase two. This project promotes intercultural relationships and awareness. The Irish Countrywomen's Association were awarded 23,000 in 2003 and 2004 for community education.

The gender equality unit has funded a project being carried out by the Women of the North West Limited. This is a research project on how a community-based approach to education and training encourages rural women to participate in local civil society. The research was carried out between 2002 and 2004 at a cost of €11,220. A report will be published shortly.

Teenage parenting projects were in receipt of funding under the fund for the development of targeted educational responses to certain children at risk from 1999 to 2003. The objective of the children at risk fund is to develop preventative and supportive programmes, which are targeted at children and young people who are at risk of educational disadvantage and social exclusion. The fund is administered by the social inclusion unit of the Department.

The Limerick teenage parents education support project for pregnant teenage parents under 19 years of age received €30,000 in 2002 and €30,000 in 2003. Waterford student mothers' group for student mothers in five second level Waterford schools aged 15 to 19 years old received €98,000 in 2002 and €98,000 in 2003. Galway teenage parents education support project for pregnant teenagers-teen parents under 20 years of age received €43,200 in 2002 and €43,200 in 2003. Barnardos teenage parents support project, EHB, for pre- and post-natal teenagers under 20 years of age in the Dublin 8, Dublin 24, Drimnagh and Crumlin areas received €35,000 in 2002 and €35,000 in 2003.

Cork University Hospital teenage parents' education programme, Cork city, employs a part-time project worker who is available to attend with the maternity social worker at antenatal clinics. This person sets up support classes to explore options and solutions where necessary for problems particular to the pregnancy. This would include educational status and intentions of the pregnant parent-s. This project received €29,203 in 2002.

From 2004, the education element of six teenage parenting projects under the Crisis Pregnancy Agency, in Galway, Waterford, Limerick, North Eastern Health Board, Coolock and Barnardos in Dublin, are being funded as a specific gender equality strand under the school completion programme.

The young parents supported by the teenage parenting projects are given the opportunity to reach their full potential through continued participation in education and training. This will improve their life opportunities and reduce the likelihood of the young family experiencing poverty and social exclusion and being long-term dependants on State support.