Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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125. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which funding from his Department remains available to youth organisations, with particular reference to those providing back-up or support services to young persons; the extent to which such support has fluctuated over the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21037/15]

James Reilly (Dublin North, 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. The funding schemes support national and local youth work provision to some 380,000 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. Youth organisations and local youth services provide a range of non-formal and informal learning opportunities for young people. These include volunteering, leadership and entrepreneurship programmes, recreational activities, arts and cultural activities. Supports provided include mentoring, health and mental wellbeing and other supports, such as alcohol and drug awareness programmes for young people who are at risk. In 2015, funding of €49.93m has been provided to my Department for these schemes.

Over the period 2012 to 2014, my Department, as with all Government departments, was required to deliver substantial savings on all major funding programmes under the Comprehensive Review of Expenditure 2012 - 2014. In line with these savings requirements the reduction in finding provision for the youth services over the period amounted to approximately 18.75%. My Department in determining the annual allocations to youth programmes, while having regard to the Comprehensive Review of Expenditure savings requirements, sought to ensure that, as far as possible, the focus was maintained on the frontline youth services, particularly those for vulnerable young people.

I am pleased to inform the Deputy that there was no reduction in the overall allocation for youth services in 2015 which was a key priority for youth organisations.

In recent years capital funding has been allocated by my Department for capital projects in the youth services. This included provision to support youth cafes, refurbishments, equipment and other capital works projects. I am aware of the challenges that the youth services have faced in recent years in continuing to provide high quality services that meet young peoples needs. I, and officials of my Department have met, and continue to meet regularly, with youth organisations and groups. My aim is to see how we can work together to bring about the best possible outcomes for young people, having regard to resources available to us and to ensure that the programmes and services being provided are relevant and responsive to young people’s needs.

My Department is developing a new National Youth Strategy. It will be a universal strategy for all young people aged 10-24 years and will have a particular focus on those young people who are most marginalised or at risk and who have the poorest outcomes and therefore who are most in need of support. My Department is working to finalise the new National Youth Strategy by the Summer.