James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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In recent years capital funding has been made available to my Department for the development of youth café facilities. Some 100 new youth café facilities have received support under the scheme since 2011 when the Department was established. Recent research undertaken by my Department indicates that there are now more than 150 youth cafés throughout the country. In the main, these have been developed, over the years, by local communities with the support of different funding sources.

Youth Cafés offer young people a safe, alcohol and drug free space, for recreation, non-formal learning and youth activities and they make an important contribution to facilities for young people at local level. The development of youth café facilities is a priority for my Department should further capital funding become available in future years.

I am advised that four youth café projects in County Mayo have been allocated funding from my Department, as follows: