Ciara Conway (Waterford, Labour)
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211. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the steps she is taking to protect, enhance and develop youth work services, in particular those run by Foroige in Waterford city and county; if she will commit to ringfencing the funding these services receive; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26279/13]

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 some €53.498m is available in 2013 to support the provision of youth services and programmes to young people throughout the country including those from disadvantaged communities. Targeted supports for disadvantaged, marginalised and at risk young people are provided through the Special Projects for Youth Scheme, the Young Peoples Facilities and Services Fund Rounds 1 and 2 and Local Drugs Task Force Projects.

Foróige provides a comprehensive range of youth work services through the operation of Foróige Clubs and Youth Development Projects. There are two Foróige projects in Waterford City and these are the Ferrybank Youth Project funded under the Special Projects for Youth Scheme and Ferrybank Drug Prevention Project and Outreach Service funded under the Young People’s Facilities and Services Fund (Round 2) A total of €179,666 has been allocated to these projects in 2013.

Having regard to the savings requirements identified in the Comprehensive Review of Expenditure which amount to €5.393m in 2013, my Department has tried to ensure that in the determination process for the allocations the front line 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.

There is no doubt that the current budgetary situation is challenging for many organisations. In considering how best to manage within the allocations available organisations are being asked to consider the scope for reducing administration costs and other overheads and to work closely with their local VEC that administers the funding on behalf of my Department, in order to maintain the front line services for young people particularly for those young people who may be disadvantaged.

My Department is developing a new youth policy framework for publication later this year. The new youth policy framework will aim to enhance the provision of youth services and activities and it will, inter alia, promote co-ordination between government departments and youth sector organisations with a view to maximising the effectiveness of the State funding available to support services for young people in future years.