Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 118: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will reverse the recent decision not to provide funding for the young people's facilities and services small grants fund in 2009 in view of the fact that the decision was taken without consultation with the affected local drug task forces and that the small grants are the only local access many groups have to resources to work with disadvantaged and vulnerable people in local communities. [20832/09]

Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Young People's Facilities & Services Fund (YPFSF) now under the remit of the Office of the Minister for Children & Youth Affairs (OMCYA) currently operates in 18 areas - 14 Local Drug Task Force areas, (12 in Dublin, Bray and Cork) and in Galway, Limerick and Carlow town.

The decision not to provide Small Grants from the YPFSF in 2009 was made following the agreement of the National Assessment Committee (NAC) which oversees the implementation of the Fund. The NAC is chaired by the OMCYA and has representation from relevant Government Departments (i.e. Justice, Equality & Law Reform, Environment, Heritage Local Government, Community, Rural & Gaeltacht Affairs including the functions of the National Drugs Strategy Team) and Agencies, Youth Services and the voluntary and community sectors.

In light of the current fiscal climate and in an effort to preserve service provision and to allow for the expansion of the YPFSF to 4 new towns of Arklow, Athlone, Dundalk and Wexford the NAC agreed that the Small Grants should not be provided in 2009.

I am fully aware of the success of this Small Grants Fund and of its benefits to local and voluntary community groups and my officials are keeping the matter under review.