Derek Keating (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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Question 27: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs in view of her recent correspondence to an organisation (details supplied) in County Dublin, if she will reconsider this application and consider it an essential service based in the community and provide the necessary funding to keep this service functioning; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40093/11]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I very much welcome the work of community groups and voluntary organisations around the country who are engaged in the provision of supports and services to children and young people, including the organisation referred to by the Deputy.

The Department of Children and Youth Affairs has an allocation in 2011 of €500,000 in National Lottery funding, which is available to provide grant funding to individuals, groups and organisations involved in the provision of services to children and young people. Seventy-nine applications for National Lottery funding, to a value of over €2.4 million, have been received by my Department since its establishment on 2nd June 2011. I hope the Deputy will appreciate that it is not possible, therefore, to approve every application received.

The closing date in 2011 for the submission of applications for National Lottery funding was 20 October last. There was no formal application for funding assistance made by this organisation to my Department this year. It will be open to projects, including the organisation in question, to apply for funding in 2012. I understand that a similar level of National Lottery funding will be available to my Department in 2012.