Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

155. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will augment the funding available to Kildare youth services, with particular reference to Leixlip youth project which has to meet demands in excess of the ordinary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43412/15]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

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.

An amount of €488,200 has been allocated for the projects and services under Kildare Youth Services, which operates under Youth Work Ireland. My Department provides funding to Kildare Youth Services under the Special Projects for Youth Scheme in respect of six local youth projects in Athy, Naas, Leixlip, Newbridge, the Curragh and Kildare town and a Youth Information Centre in Naas.

Last week, I was pleased to allocate €1.17m in ‘once-off’ funding to assist youth projects that are experiencing budgetary difficulties as they approach the end of the year. An allocation of €10,000 was made to Leixlip Youth Project. The youth projects came to my Department's attention through engagement with the national youth organisations, youth officers in the Education and Training Boards, through representations and submissions received and through regular meetings with youth services in the course of the year.

I am pleased to advise the Deputy that Budget 2016 has provided an additional €1.1m in current youth funding to my Department bringing the total allocation to €51m to support the voluntary youth services in 2016. The additional funding will be used for programmes that target disadvantaged young people and to assist national youth organisations in their work to support local voluntary youth services.

In addition, €2.75m in capital funding has been allocated to my Department for 2016. In the main, this funding will be used to support smaller scale projects, such as refurbishments, health and safety works, and accessibility improvements in youth services.

My Department has commenced work on the detailed allocations for the national youth organisations and local services and projects funded under the various schemes. Every effort is being made to notify youth organisations and projects of their 2016 allocation as soon as possible. Details of the new capital funding scheme will be announced early in the New Year.