Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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555. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the status of an application by an organisation (details supplied) for funding under the special project for youth. [18138/16]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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563. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs to approve an application by an organisation (details supplied) for a project bus under the special protection for youth scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18393/16]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 555 and 563 together.

My Department administers a range of funding schemes and programmes to support the provision of youth services by the voluntary youth sector, to young people throughout the country including those from disadvantaged communities. In 2016, funding of €51m has been provided to my Department for these schemes. Foróige Balbriggan Youth Service, operating as CRYPTIC, was allocated €82,669 under the Special Projects for Youth Scheme in 2016.

The funding schemes, including the Special Projects for Youth, 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.

Some €2.6m in capital funding, provided in Budget 2016, is being made available to my Department to support small scale projects, including refurbishment, health and safety fit-outs and accessibility improvements in local youth services. The applications for capital grants, under the scheme, are currently being processed and I hope to announce details of the successful applicants in the coming weeks.