Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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550. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her plans for future funding for local youth projects and services to be administered by Laois/ Offaly Education and Training Board; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16642/14]

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. These schemes include the Youth Service Grant Scheme under which funding is provided to support 31 national and major regional youth organisations. 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. In 2014, current funding of €49.78m has been provided to my Department for these schemes.

Laois/Offaly Education and Training Board (ETB) is one of a number of bodies (in the main these are the ETBs) that administer funding on behalf of my Department.

In 2014, funding of €203,554 will be provided to the ETB for local youth services as follows:

My Department is undertaking a Value for Money and Policy Review of a number of the youth funding schemes that target disadvantaged young people including the Special Projects for Youth Scheme. The review will make recommendations for the future operation of these youth schemes and will shape their development in the years ahead to ensure quality effective, value for money services that are evidence based and designed to secure the best outcomes for young people. The review’s recommendations will further inform the development of a new Youth Strategy which will aim to improve coordination between Government Departments and youth sector organisations with a view to maximising the effectiveness of State funding in achieving youth policy objectives. It is planned that the Youth Strategy will be completed later this year.