Written answers

Wednesday, 12 May 2010

Department of Health and Children

Youth Cafés

9:00 pm

Photo of Jan O'SullivanJan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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Question 144: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if the €1.5 million announced for the new and existing youth cafes on 12 April 2010 is once off funding from the Dormant Accounts Fund; if so, if she will ensure that there is ongoing and long term funding for youth cafes in 2011 and beyond; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19493/10]

Photo of Jan O'SullivanJan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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Question 145: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the reason the funding for youth cafes announced on 12 April 2010 is only available to city and county development boards; if city and council development boards will be required to engage in consultation with young people and youth organisations in their areas concerning applications; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19494/10]

Photo of Jan O'SullivanJan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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Question 146: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the location of all the youth cafes in receipt of funding; the amount of funding provided to each youth cafe in 2007, 2008 and 2009; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19495/10]

Photo of Barry AndrewsBarry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 144 to 146, inclusive, together.

On 12 April last I was pleased to announce details of a dedicated youth café funding scheme of €1.5m from dormant accounts funds. This is the first dedicated youth café funding scheme in Ireland and was launched along with the publication of two relevant associated publications: ""outh Cafe9s in Ireland: A best practice guide" and Youth Cafe9 Toolkit: how to set up and run a youth cafe9 in Ireland". These developments respond to the repeated emphasis young people have placed on the need for such recreational spaces. They recognise the achievements already made by many groups in establishing youth cafés around the country and ensure a solid policy foundation for youth café development and the expansion of safe quality recreational spaces for young people. I wish to confirm to the deputy that the funding is once off in nature and that the drawdown of funds from this scheme will take place over the present and next year (2011).

The youth café funding scheme is being administered by POBAL on behalf of my office through a closed call via the nationwide network of city and county development boards (CDBs). The Youth Café model is based on a multi-agency approach and the County Development Board structure provides the natural fit for the assessment of local need, priorities and sustainability from multi agency perspectives. The use of the CDB network in the application process will also enable direct local involvement in the initial prioritisation of applications. This will ensure that detailed local knowledge is taken into account in the shortlisting of applications for further consideration by POBAL.

The Scheme (based on the key principles contained in the youth café guide and toolkit) is designed to ensure that in the course of this process County Development Boards will be engaging with young people through the submission and selection process via the various consortia who may be applying. The Applicants rather than the County/City Development Boards are required to demonstrate that their organisations are engaging with young people and that their current operation is youth led. The Deputy will be aware that this scheme and the policy itself evolved from previous consultations and research with young people in preparing the national recreation policy where the need for such spaces was felt to be of vital importance by young people themselves.

While the objective of the young people's facilities and services fund (YPFSF), also administered by my office is to attract "at risk" young people in disadvantaged areas into facilities and activities that divert them away from the dangers of substance abuse, a number of facilities have been funded under the YPFSF which include a youth café element. In 2009, the YPFSF Capital funding was given to the following projects:

The Apple Tree Foundation, Dundalk, Co Louth, €100,000 capital, €56,500 current;

The Gateway Project, Athlone, Co Westmeath, €85,045 capital, €20,000 current;

Francis Street Youth Café, Wexford Town, €85,000 capital, €50,000 current.

In 2009, the YPFSF also funded a youth centre in Arklow, Co Wicklow, that will have a Youth Café element: €270,000 capital and €59,000 current. In 2009 once-off current funding of €80,500 was also allocated to the Northside Youth Café, Moyross, Limerick under this programme.

As the Deputy will be aware there are already a number of youth cafés in operation around the country. Funding for these existing initiatives has often been provided through the local City/County Council and/or the Health Service Executive or other sources. In addition the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs operates 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.

The Scheme and its impact will be reviewed in due course. I will be examining opportunities for further support in the context of the fiscal situation in 2011 and thereafter.

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