Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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399. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his views on issues raised by Foróige in correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26218/15]

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.

In 2015, funding of €49.9m has been provided to my Department for these schemes. There has been no reduction in the overall allocation for youth services in 2015. This was an important priority for the voluntary youth organisations that have a key role in the provision of quality youth work services for young people.

In 2015, funding of €6,945,538 has been allocated by my Department to Foróige to support the provision of services for young people including the local services provided by Foróige for young people who are at risk of disadvantage. This total does not include local youth clubs grants, funded by my Department, but allocated to local clubs under schemes administered by the local Education and Training Boards. It does not include funding provided to Foróige with respect to Garda youth diversion projects or funding from other state agencies such as the HSE.

The €6,945,538 Foróige is receiving in funding in 2015 is comprised of: €2,551,737 under the Youth Service Grant Scheme, €1,658,828 under the Young People Facilities and Services Fund (1 & 2) and €2,734,973 under the Special Projects for Youth scheme.

Over the period 2013-2014, my Department has also provided funds to support Foróige's Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) programme. In 2015, Foróige will receive €775,000 for the programme from my Department under the Dormant Accounts Fund scheme.

In recent years, the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, as with all government departments, has had to find savings in line with the requirements of the Comprehensive Review of Expenditure, 2012 to 2014. Under the Comprehensive Review of Expenditure savings and efficiencies of the order of 18.75% were required in relation to youth funding programmes. Having regard to these savings requirements, my Department tried to ensure that, in the determination process for the funding allocations, the front line youth services, particularly those for the most vulnerable young people were protected in so far as was possible from the impact of any necessary reductions in funding.

I and officials of my Department regularly meet with the voluntary organisations that provide services to young people including Foróige. Officials of my Department recently met with the Chief Executive Officer of Foróige and the Assistant CEO to discuss the organisation's progress in developing BBBS and future plans for initiatives to support young people.

The question of additional funding for Foróige will be considered in the context of the resources that are made available to my Department in the Estimates and Budgetary process and my Department's priorities for the future development of the services for young people, in line with the new National Youth Strategy, which will be available shortly.