Written answers

Tuesday, 27 September 2011

9:00 pm

Photo of Denis NaughtenDenis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 68: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her plans for the reform of the funding structure for youth organisations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25939/11]

Photo of Éamon Ó CuívÉamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 71: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will expand on her plans for the funding of youth services in view of her recent comments at the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health and Children that she has plans for rationalisation and streaming of youth services. [26068/11]

Photo of Frances FitzgeraldFrances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 68 and 71 together.

My Department provides a range of funding schemes, programmes and supports to the youth sector. These include the Youth Service Grant Scheme, the Special Projects for Youth Scheme, the Young People's Facilities and Services Fund and certain other provisions including the Local Youth Club Grant Scheme, Youth Information Centres, European Youth in Action Programme (administered by Léargas – The Exchange Bureau) and Gaisce the President's Award.

This funding supports the delivery of a range of youth work programmes and services for all young people, including those from disadvantaged communities, by the voluntary youth sector. Youth work programmes and services are delivered to young participants in the various programmes by some 1,100 youth work staff and by a volunteer base of over 60,000. The main objectives of the Youth Affairs Unit in my Department are to develop and implement coherent, coordinated and relevant youth policies and strategies to support the youth sector in providing effective non-formal education and developmental opportunities for young people through which they can enhance and develop their personal and social skills and competencies.

To support this work, the Youth Affairs Unit of my Department has a budget in 2011 of €60.154m on current expenditure and €0.8m on capital expenditure. In the context of the Government's Comprehensive Review of Expenditure, and in the context of the development of a youth policy framework that is currently being progressed, my Department is reviewing the allocation of funding with a view to ensuring more efficient management and value for money as well as ensuring that the funding provided is both quality and outcomes focussed. It is intended, in particular, to review the current spread of funding available across multiple sub-heads and schemes which reflect responsibilities having historically been allocated across a number of Government Departments and which may be unnecessarily complicated in the context of the new Department of Children and Youth Affairs.

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