Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party)
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Question 521: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will reverse the 6.5% cut in funding for youth services which will mean that many projects will have to axe summer projects and other vital youth support services at a time when there is increasing demand. [13633/12]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The Youth Affairs Unit of my Department provides a range of funding schemes, programmes and supports to the youth sector. Funding of €56.806m on current expenditure and €1.5m on capital expenditure is available in 2012 to support the provision of youth services and programmes to young people throughout the country including those from disadvantaged communities.

In light of the significant reduction in the overall current budget for the youth sector the emphasis has been on preserving front line youth services. In determining financial allocations to initiatives and schemes in 2012 officials from my Department have met with representatives of the youth sector on an ongoing basis with a view to determining how best to minimise the impact of the reduction in the 2012 budget on youth services. As Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, I am committed to providing continued support for the provision of quality youth services to young people. As it is unlikely that there will be any increased funding available in the foreseeable future, it behoves us all to use the resources available to the maximum benefit of young people. My Department is currently developing a new youth policy framework. In that context, it is my intention that this framework will facilitate and promote co-ordination and cohesion across Departments and services which will enable the most effective use of the resources available.