Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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160. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the status of progress since the publication of the value for money review of youth programmes report in December 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41953/15]

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. In 2016, current funding of €51m will be provided by my Department for these schemes.

The Value for Money and Policy Review of the Youth Funding programmes 2014 examined three of the targeted funding schemes, the Special Projects for Youth scheme, the Young People’s Facilities and Services Fund, and Local Drug Task Force projects scheme. The schemes support the provision of youth services for young people who are at risk of drugs, alcohol misuse, early school leaving, homelessness or who are living in disadvantaged communities. The review involved an in-depth scrutiny of a complex area to do with the impact youth service provision has in young people’s lives. Overall, the review found that the youth programmes can provide a significant contribution to improving outcomes for young people and should be considered for on-going public funding. The review makes a number of recommendations for the future operation of the youth schemes and their development in the years ahead to ensure an evidence-based and outcomes focussed programme designed to secure the optimal outcomes for young people.

I intend that the implementation of the recommendations in the review will commence over 2015 and 2016 and in the context of the roll out of the new National Youth Strategy 2015-2020 which my Department published on 8th October, 2015. My Department has initiated a detailed consultation with the youth sector and providers of youth services about the review's findings and recommendations. Consultations have taken place with the national youth organisation, local youth services and youth officers of the Education and Training Boards that administer funding on behalf of my Department, and with other youth interests. A number of regional events were held, an online forum was set up to facilitate discussion with youth service providers and young people were involved in the consultations that took place in the context of the National Youth Strategy.

The new Youth Employability Initiative which I announced in October, has been designed having regard to the recommendations in the review, in particular, in relation to targeting those young people who are most at risk of unemployment and ensuring that programmes to enhance their employability are outcomes focused. The Initiative, which is being funded by Dormant Accounts, will provide €600,000 in funding to voluntary youth services for programmes for young people who are not in education, training or employment.The learning from the Youth Employability Initiative will inform the development and operational arrangements for the new youth funding programme for disadvantaged young people recommended in the Value for Money and Policy Review.

My Department is committed to working collaboratively with the youth sector interests in the development and implementation of the new programme over the next two years.