Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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532. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if the criteria for the local youth club grant scheme has changed to prioritise groups in which 75% of the youth members are between ten and 21 years of age and to require 75% of members to be between ten and 21 years of age. [30065/17]

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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533. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she has considered that scout groups could be disadvantaged by the change to the local youth club grant scheme that requires groups to have 75% of youth members between ten and 21 years of age, in view of the fact the entire unit, which may have three to four sections, is required to apply as a single unit but this will include children from six years of age that are feeders for the groups above ten years of age; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30066/17]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 532 and 533 together.

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 involving approximately 1,400 youth work staff working in youth services and communities throughout the country.

I am pleased to confirm that I have allocated an extra €5.5 million in current funding to support the provision of youth services in 2017. This will bring the total youth funding by my Department to €57.4 million, an increase of 10% over last year's allocation. 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.

The Local Youth Club Grant Scheme supports youth work activities at a local level. These grants are made available to all youth clubs and groups through the local Education and Training Boards. The scheme is open is open to new entrants and is advertised locally. Applications for funding are invited by the Education and Training Boards from local groups in their respective areas. Each year, more than 600 local youth clubs benefit from the scheme. In 2016, €1.065 million was allocated to this scheme. In 2017, I have provided an additional 10% in funding to the scheme, bringing the total allocation to €1.1715.

After a period of consultation with key stakeholders it was agreed that in line with the National Youth Strategy 2015–2020 it would be a condition of the Local Youth Club Grant Scheme that at least 75% of the club/group membership should be between the ages of 10 and 21.

This grant scheme was designed to provide volunteer-led youth activities for young people aged between 10 and 21. The clarification will ensure that the Scheme will have the maximum impact on the targeted cohort of young people while having the benefit of a built-in flexibility of 25% for those not in that age bracket.