Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 175: To ask the Minister for Education and Science her proposals to increase funding to the Kildare Youth Services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5814/08]

Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Six (6) special projects for youth in Co. Kildare that operate under the aegis of Kildare Youth Service are currently in receipt of annual grant-in-aid funding under my Department's Special Projects for Youth Scheme.

Details of these projects are outlined hereunder in tabular form:

The focus of financial allocations by my Department in 2007 was on the consolidation of current provision, with particular emphasis on the Special Projects for Youth Scheme, a priority identified by the National Youth Council of Ireland and the Irish Vocational Education Association (IVEA).

In that regard, the baseline for the Ballycane-sarto and Leixlip youth projects was increased to €60,000 and in addition, these two (2) projects were up-graded to two worker status. (The up-grade of projects to two-worker status is one of the recommendations in the National Youth Work Development Plan 2003-2007.) Funding amounting to €45,000 (per project) was made available in 2007 for this purpose with full years costs in 2008 amounting to €60,000. In 2007, a funding increase of 7.5% was sanctioned by my Department for the Athy, Newbridge and Kildare Town Youth Projects. As well as that, the Curragh Youth Project was mainstreamed for funding for the first time in 2007. Funding is also provided by my Department to Kildare Youth Service in respect of a Youth Information Centre in Naas. The 2007 funding allocation in that regard was €66,074. In addition, my Department funds an annual grant-in-aid Scheme for Local Youth Clubs. An amount of €82,120 was made available in 2007 to Co. Kildare VEC in this regard.

Kildare Youth Service have submitted four (4) new applications for funding in 2008 under the Special Projects for Youth Scheme. These applications cover projects in Clane, Celbridge, Co. Kildare Traveller Youth Projects and the Tracking and Mentoring Project for early School Leavers in North-West Kildare. Pending completion of the 2008 funding allocations process and owing to budgetary constraints and the high level of existing commitments in the sector, I am not in a position to make any commitments with regard to funding for new projects.