Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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33. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his plans for greater investment in community youth clubs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27095/15]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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My Department is responsible for the administration of funding for the provision of youth services. The funding schemes support the delivery of a range of universal and targeted youth work programmes and services for young people throughout the country, including those from disadvantaged communities.

The schemes include the Youth Services Grant Scheme, under which funding is provided to 30 national and major regional organisations to support their services. 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, and the Local Drugs Task Force Projects Scheme. Other schemes administered by my Department include the Local Youth Club Grant Scheme and Youth Information Centres. In 2015, an allocation of €49.93m has been provided to my Department to support the provision of youth services.

The Local Youth Club Grant Scheme supports youth work activities at a local level. These grants are made available to all youth clubs and groups through the local Education and Training Boards. The scheme is open to some 1,600 youth groups and clubs, with an estimated 89,000 club members around the country. In 2015, €1.035m has been allocated to this scheme. The scheme, which is open to new entrants, is advertised locally and applications for funding are invited by the Education and Training Boards from local groups in their respective areas. Each year, some 600 local youth clubs benefit from the scheme.

The question of additional investment in the Local Youth Club Grant Scheme 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.