Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 63: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the progress made in regard to the commitment given in the programme for Government to increase the development of public play and recreation areas for children. [20400/08]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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Question 77: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the progress made in regard to the commitment given in the programme for Government to invest in playgrounds here under the national play policy in order that every child in every community has a reasonable access to at least one modern playground. [20367/08]

Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 63 and 77 together.

Ready, Steady Play: A National Play Policy, which was published in 2004, provides a framework for the development of public play facilities in Ireland with the overall aim of ensuring that children have access to a range of quality play opportunities to enrich their childhood. While the Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs has an overall role in supporting implementation of the Play Policy, the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs and the HSE retain responsibility for implementation of actions falling within their remit. Since the publication of the Play Policy, over €28m has been allocated to the provision of play facilities which has resulted in the development of an additional 300 play facilities throughout the country.

In addition to the development of these play facilities, up to €1 million has been allocated, via dormant accounts funding, for a Playbus Scheme. This measure is intended to provide interventions that support the family unit, by providing play development and parenting development outreach services to children and their parents, experiencing social exclusion in disadvantaged and isolated areas.

In addition to the Play Policy, Teenspace National Recreation Policy for Young People was launched in September 2007. The policy provides a strategic framework for the promotion of positive recreational opportunities aimed principally at young people aged 12 to 18. The policy adopts an evidence-based approach and makes proposals to address issues which emerged from a public consultation process which was undertaken by my Office and was also informed through the findings of independent research commissioned by my Office. In particular, this included places for young people to hang out with their friends, such as youth cafés. As the Deputy will be aware there are already a number of youth cafés in operation around the country. Funding for these existing initiatives is provided through a number of bodies including local City/County Council and Health Service Executive. The Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs also operate a number of relevant funding programmes aimed at supporting community development, locally based community and voluntary groups as well as programmes aimed specifically at supporting projects for disadvantaged youth.

At this stage, my focus is to bring better coherence to the approach taken to date, retaining the strong inter-agency element and identifying an appropriate model(s) for youth cafés for future developments. Since September my office has undertaken a small survey of some of the existing cafés looking at mission/objectives, management and organisation, service levels and the role of young people. It also requested the National Children's Advisory Council's advice on the development of a youth café model and research work has been commissioned by the Council in this regard. I am anticipating the Council will be in a position to report to me shortly. This work will guide government in ensuring that funding is targeted and co-ordinated most effectively on a model or models of youth cafés which meet the needs identified by young people themselves. Discussions are also under way with my Cabinet colleagues regarding a youth café programme and appropriate funding mechanisms. I am considering which agency could best lead on the programme and how to ensure any funding which might be made available augments, without displacing, the existing inter-agency resources.