Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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599. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will provide a breakdown of all funding granted to Foróige Clubs in County Offaly for the past five years and to date in 2013. [24070/13]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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My Department provides funding for a Local Youth Club Grant Scheme which supports youth work activities at a local level (€1.035m in 2013). These grants are made available to all youth clubs and groups through local Vocational Education Committees. The Youth Affairs Unit of my Department has notified all VECs of their 2013 allocation. The scheme will be advertised locally and applications for funding will be invited by the VEC from local groups in their areas. Funding of €20,395 under the Local Youth Club Grant Scheme has been allocated to Co. Offaly VEC in 2013.

The Deputy should note that under the Comprehensive Review of expenditure, I have ensured that there has been no cut to the total national funding being provided by my Department to support the local voluntary youth club grant schemes as this funding plays an important role in supporting volunteer-led youth groups and in promoting and leveraging valuable voluntary activity in youth work.

Details of funding from 2007 to 2011 is outlined hereunder. Funding returns for 2012 in respect of Co. Offaly VEC have not yet been received in my Department.