Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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240. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the position regarding a youth service (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36853/15]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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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.

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.

My Department does not have a capital programme available for youth cafés at this time.

The development of youth café facilities is a priority for my Department should further capital funding become available for this purpose, in future years.

I am advised that The Cove Youth Café was allocated €600 this year from Kerry Education and Training Board under the Local Youth Club Grant Scheme. This 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. Each year, some 600 local youth clubs benefit from the scheme.