Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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518. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the way in which she plans to spend the additional €1.5 million allocated to the youth services sector in budget 2018; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43954/17]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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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.

As the Deputy is aware, Budget 2018 has provided an additional €1.5 million in current funding to my Department to support the provision of youth services. This additional funding will be used for programmes that target disadvantaged young people. Following the Budget 2018 announcement, my Department will soon commence a process with national organisations and local services to identify service development needs for 2018 and to agree the 2018 allocations. Every effort will be made to complete this process as soon as possible.