Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 573: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will review a matter (details supplied) regarding a youth service. [27685/11]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Youth Affairs Unit of my Department provides funding to Sphere 17 Regional Youth Service under a number of funding schemes. These are the Special Projects for Youth Scheme (SPY), Young People's Facilities and Services Fund Rounds 1 and 2 (YPFSF) and the Local Drug Task Force (LDTF).

Having visited the Sphere 17 Regional Youth Service last month I am very much aware of the valuable services provided by it to young people aged between 10 and 21 years in such areas as Bonnybrook, Darndale and Priorswood across Dublin 17. Sphere 17 RYS provides young people with a wide range of programmes and activities, seven days a week which reflect their needs, interests, capacity and age profile.

In light of budgetary constraints, the youth budget requires careful management with a focus on prioritising front-line services and protecting jobs and pay in so far as is possible. Officials from my Department have met with representatives of the youth sector on an ongoing basis to ascertain the sector's views on how best to minimise the impact of budgetary constraints with a view to consolidating, in so far as is practicable, the progress made in previous years. Every effort will be made to notify the various youth work organisations and administering agencies of their 2012 allocations as speedily as possible. My Department has also exhorted all the national youth organisations and vocational education committees to revisit their level of expenditure to determine where cost savings can be achieved.