Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

48. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the details of the expansion of youth services that support, in particular, early school leavers into employment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39940/16]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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 by the voluntary youth sector. The funding schemes support national and local youth work provision to some 380,000 young people by approximately 1,400 paid staff and 40,000 volunteers. A number of these schemes focus on young people who are disadvantaged, or who are out of school.

The Programme for Government contains a commitment to the expansion of youth services that support, in particular, Early School Leavers into employment, a commitment to fund schemes such as the Youth Employability Initiative, and a commitment to implement Ireland’s first ever National Youth Strategy 2015-2020.

Earlier this year, I announced details of youth work projects that are to receive funding under the new €600,000 Youth Employment Initiative. The initiative targets young people who are most at risk of unemployment and not in education, employment or training. It is being provided to support the provision of programmes to enhance employability skills and competencies of young people. Over 1000 young people across the country will benefit. Along with participating in a learning forum all 28 projects will contribute to a National Evaluation which seeks to capture lessons from the pilot to inform future initiatives.

I am pleased to inform the Deputy that Budget 2017 has provided an additional €5.5m in current funding to my Department for voluntary youth services. My Department has now commenced a process with national organisations and local services to identify service development needs for 2017 and to agree the 2017 allocations. Every effort will be made to complete this process as soon as possible.