Tony McLoughlin (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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352. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which she remains satisfied regarding the availability of adequate resources to meet the growing challenges in terms of rapid response, youth support services, social services, and investigative programmes throughout Ireland and especially in counties Sligo and Leitrim; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16901/17]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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The Revised Estimate for my Department for 2017 provides a gross funding provision of €1.311 billion. This represents an increase of €173 million, or 16%, over my Department’s 2016 allocation.

In 2017, youth services have an overall budget of €60 million, an additional €5.5m over their 2016 allocation. This funding supports the delivery of a range of youth work programmes and services for all young people, including those from disadvantaged communities. Over 380,000 children and young people engaged with these services in 2016.

My Department is currently undertaking an exercise to map youth service provision across the State. This mapping exercise will assist my Department in developing a detailed socio-demographic profile in terms of both population numbers and deprivation levels, and will inform future development and investment in youth services in counties such as Sligo and Leitrim.

Tusla, the Child and Family Agency is receiving an additional investment of €37 million this year. In 2017, Tusla has an overall allocation of some €713 million which allows it to standardise, streamline and improve its services to children and families. The extra funding in 2017 allows Tusla to further alleviate service pressures in the areas such as unallocated caseloads, private residential care, foster care and domestic, sexual and gender based violence services.

In conclusion, the significant additional resources secured for 2017 will allow my Department and its agencies build on the good work by all involved in working with children and families to deliver on this Government’s commitment to fundamentally reform the delivery of services.