Gino Kenny (Dublin Mid West, People Before Profit Alliance)
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39. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the steps she will take to address the youth needs in Balgaddy, which is an area of disadvantage and exclusion in Dublin mid-west; if facilities will be put in place to accommodate the needs of young persons in the area and specifically, in the Tor an Rí area of Balgaddy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15206/17]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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In 2017, funding of €57.4m has been provided to my Department for various youth schemes, an increase of €5.5m over 2016. The additional funding is being used for programmes that target disadvantaged young people and to assist national youth organisations in their work to support local voluntary youth services. My Department has now notified projects and services of their 2017 allocations.

The funding schemes support national and local youth work involving approximately 1,400 youth work staff working in youth work services and communities throughout the country.

I am advised that the Ronanstown Youth Service, operated by Crosscare, provides a range of services to at-risk young people in Balgaddy. In 2017, an amount of €552,356 has been allocated to Ronanstown Youth Service, a 5% increase over its 2016 allocation.

I am aware that the service's Balgaddy Youth Unit is temporarily closed as a result of an electrical fault and that every effort is being made to resume service provision. Dublin and Dun Laoghaire ETB is working closely with the service in this regard.

My Department is continuing to implement the recommendations of the Value for Money and Policy Review of Youth Funding Schemes. My Department is committed to having robust systems in place to identify need and to ensuring that the resources are directed to delivering specific outcomes for young people.