Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the way the findings of the recent Indecon report on youth work will impact on her policies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56692/12]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I welcome the recent publication of the Economic Assessment of the Value of Youth Work carried out by Indecon on behalf of the National Youth Council of Ireland.

The report illustrates the breadth, depth and value of the youth work sector in Ireland and provides an assessment of the value and contribution of youth work to the economy, to young people themselves and to the social fabric of Irish society. I have brought the report to the attention of the Departments of Public Expenditure and Reform, Social Protection and Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation.

Funding of €53.173m has been provided to my Department for the provision of youth services in 2013 through the different schemes which include the Youth Service Grant Scheme, the Special Projects for Youth Scheme, the Young People’s Facilities and Services Fund, Youth Information Centres, the Local Youth Club Grant Scheme, the Local Drugs Force Task Scheme and certain other programmes including Gaisce- the President’s Award. These funding schemes support national and local youth work provision and involve 1,400 paid staff and some

40,000 volunteers in 477 youth projects around the country.

My Department is working on the determination of the funding allocations for youth services in 2013 and is seeking to ensure that, in the determination process for the allocations, effective youth services, particularly those for the most vulnerable young people are protected as far as is possible from the impact of any necessary reductions in funding. Youth organisations and projects will be advised of their 2013 allocations as soon as possible.

There will no reduction in funding in 2013 for the 1600 local volunteer-led youth clubs and groups which offer quality youth activities for some 100,000 young people throughout the country. The impact of the social capital which is built in local communities through such activities is a core element of the Indecon Economic Assessment of the Value of Youth Work.

My Department is developing proposals to streamline the existing five separate funding lines in 2013 so that youth projects will receive one funding stream allowing more flexibility in setting priorities, managing savings and reconfiguring service provision. A formal Value for Money review of youth programmes is also being initiated by my Department for completion in 2013. The Indecon report is timely in this regard and the findings will be considered as part of the review process.

I look forward to continued collaboration with the youth sector in implementing the necessary reforms and rationalisation in a way that ensures the realisation of our shared objectives for the provision of efficient and effective quality youth services for young people.