Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the degree to which she and her Department has identified the full extent and range of children’s and youth support services required now and in the future having regard to the experience of the past; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57037/12]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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My Department supports the provision of a wide range of services and supports for children, young people and families. The overall budget for my Department for these services for 2012 is €406.407 million in current funding and €8.350 million in capital funding giving a total of €414.757 million.

As Minister for Children and Youth Affairs improving outcomes for children and young people is my primary objective. Early childhood care and education programmes are priorities to enhance children’s opportunities for social and educational development. This year some €175.8 million has been provided for the free preschool year which will benefit some 64,500 children.

The Youth Affairs Unit of my Department provides a range of funding schemes, programmes and supports to the youth sector. Funding of some €58.306 million is available in 2012 to support the provision of youth services and programmes to young people throughout the country including those from disadvantaged communities. These programmes and services are delivered to over 500,000 young people by some 1,400 youth work personnel, who in turn support a large volunteer base estimated by the National Youth Council of Ireland at some 40,000.

The services provided by the National Educational Welfare Board to support children and young people to benefit from and remain in the education system, the care and education services provided in the Children’s Detention Centres for children referred by the Courts and the services provided by the local family resource centres with the support of funding from the Family Support Agency are all important priorities in my Department to support the most vulnerable children and young people.