Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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245. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if her attention has been drawn to particular instances of youth poverty, the extent to which she and/or her Department may be in a position to address such issues; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32833/13]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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My Department has been given lead responsibility for implementing a new Area-Based Approach to Child Poverty programme during 2013-2016. This initiative was announced as part of Budget 2013 and has a funding allocation this year of €2.5 million. The programme is being co-funded by The Atlantic Philanthropies and is expected to have a total funding allocation of €29.7 million. The new programme reflects the Programme for Government commitment to adopt an area-based approach to child poverty in co-operation with philanthropic partners, drawing upon best international practice and existing services, to break the cycle of child poverty where it is most deeply entrenched and improve the outcomes for children and young people where these are currently significantly poorer than they are for children and young people living elsewhere in the State.

The new programme will build on and continue the work of the Prevention and Early Intervention Programme which has also been implemented by my Department with co-funding from The Atlantic Philanthropies. This earlier programme involved the implementation of a range of evidence based programmes and practices on a pilot basis in three areas of high social and economic disadvantage. The programmes aimed at improving outcomes for children and young people in relation to literacy, speech and language, health and pro-social behaviour as well as supporting improved parenting skills. The programmes are currently being evaluated by national and international experts. The three existing areas of programme interventions, together with at least three additional areas, are expected to participate in the new programme. In addition, it is my intention to broaden the impact of the programme by, where appropriate, beginning the process of mainstreaming as many as possible of the evidence based programmes which have had positive test outcomes and are cost-effective. The establishment of my Department's new Child and Family Agency later this year will be important to this process.

Applications to participate in the programme were invited from interested not for profit consortia earlier this year. The closing date for receipt of applications was 31st May and fifty applications were received. These are currently being reviewed by officials in my Department assisted by members of the cross-Departmental Project Team which is overseeing the process. When completed, I hope to be in a position to announce successful applicants later this year.