Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 21: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the amount of funding provided by his Department for youth cafes; the location of this funding; the plans to increase such funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5589/08]

Pat Carey (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will be aware, my Department does not operate a specific scheme or programme to support youth cafes, however, my Department does operate a number of programmes and schemes where some funding is available for the purposes of youth cafes. Details of all the programmes and schemes operated by my Department can be accessed on the Department''s website at www.pobail.ie. I can confirm that a number of youth cafes have received some funding from my Department, details of which are listed below.

Under the Young People's Facilities and Services Fund (YPFSF) Mountain Park, Tallaght Youth Service (Foróige), received Capital funding of €175,000 in 2005 to establish a Youth Health Café. Under the Emerging Needs Fund, funding has been allocated through Tallaght Local Drugs Task Force in 2008 towards a full-time worker to co-ordinate the running of the above Youth Café and to provide Outreach, Group Work and Health Programmes. In the Dublin 12 Local Drugs Task Force area, the "Somewhere to Go" Project has also been allocated funding in 2008. Other facilities funded under the YPFSF provide a safe space for young people to drop in. They also benefit from the activities that are on offer.

A small number of Youth Cafés with a strong drug education dimension are being supported on a pilot basis under the Regional Drug Task Force plans consistent with the education & prevention pillar of the National Drugs Strategy. These are located in Ennis, Shannon, Kilkee, Westport and Swords. Funding of €20,000 has also been approved by my Department under the CLÁR Community Initiative measure for Co. Roscommon Youth Services Co. Ltd. to provide support, projects and programmes including a youth café for local youths. Two organisations providing youth café facilities have also been funded under the 2006 Programme of Grants for Locally-Based Community and Voluntary Organisations, they are as follows:

Glounthaune Community Association — Refurbishment — €3,936

The Crib Youth Project & Health Café, Foroige — Equipment — €1,513Since the beginning of 2006, 8 projects providing grants to youth cafes have been approved for support from the Dormant Accounts Fund. Details of these grants are set out in the table attached at Appendix 1.