Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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623. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her views on maintaining the voluntary sector's role in delivering local youth services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42975/17]

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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624. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her views on ensuring that the voluntary sector is part of the organisation and funding of youth work; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42976/17]

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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626. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her views on increasing the funding for the local youth club grant in 2017; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42979/17]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 623, 624 and 626 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 €5.5m in current funding to support the provision of youth services in 2017. This will bring the total youth funding by my Department to €57.4m, 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.

Earlier this year I approved the launch of an updated and improved Local Youth Club Grant Scheme and from 2017, the scheme incorporated the National Quality Standards for volunteer led youth groups. The scheme was designed to provide volunteer led youth activities at a local level for young people aged between 10 to 21. Grants are made available to all youth clubs and groups through the local Education and Training Boards. The scheme 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, €1.065m 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.

In recognition of the contribution which volunteer led clubs/groups have on our young people I was pleased to have been able to make €6.35m in additional funding available this year in the form of the Local Youth Club Equipment Scheme. The primary focus of this scheme will be to assist volunteer led clubs/groups that work with young people in communities throughout the country. The scheme will allow for the purchase of equipment for sport, arts, adventure and other much needed items.

The question of additional investment in the youth services will be considered in the context of the resources that are made available to my Department in the Estimates and Budgetary process and my Department's priorities for the future development of the services for young people, in line with the National Youth Strategy.