Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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229. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if her Department has received requests from Kildare Youth Services for extra funding to meet the needs of Leixlip Youth Project in view of the heavy demands at the current time; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15910/14]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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My Department administers a range of funding schemes and programmes to support the provision of youth services 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, Local Drugs Task Force Projects and certain other programmes including the Local Youth Club Grant Scheme and Youth Information Centres. The funding schemes support national and local youth work provision to some 400,000 young people and involve approximately, 1,400 youth work staff in 477 projects and 40,000 volunteers working in youth work services and communities throughout the country. In 2014, current funding of €49.78m has been provided to my Department for these schemes.

In 2014, funding of €488,200 has been allocated for projects and services under Kildare Youth Service, which operates under Youth Work Ireland. This includes funding of €86,264 for the Leixlip Youth Project. In addition, Kildare Youth Hub, Kildare Town has recently received approval for a capital grant of €50,000 towards the cost of developing a new youth café facility.

Representations on behalf of Kildare Youth Service have been made to my Department. Officials from my Department have met with Youth Work Ireland and Kildare Youth Service to discuss their work and plans.

My Department, along with all government departments, is required to deliver substantial savings on all funding programmes in line with the Comprehensive Review of Expenditure (CRE). My Department, in determining the annual allocations for youth programmes, while having regard to the CRE, has sought to ensure that, as far as is possible, the focus is maintained on the front line youth services particularly those for the most vulnerable young people. This year, I secured an additional €1m in the 2014 Budget to offset the impact of the CRE on the youth services. As a result the overall reduction in 2014 budgets for the youth services at 3.75 % was significantly less than had been indicated in the CRE.

I am aware of the challenges that the budgetary constraints raise for the youth services throughout the country and its impact on projects such as the Leixlip Youth Project. I, and officials of my Department have met and will continue to meet with many youth organisations and groups to try and see how we can work together to ensure the most effective and efficient use of the resources available in order to continue to support the provision of quality and responsive youth services for young people.