Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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531. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which her Department continues to support County Kildare youth services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44009/17]

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.

In 2017, €57.4 million has been allocated in current funding to support the provision of youth services. Budget 2017 and 2018 provided a total of €7 million extra funding for youth services. 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.

In 2017, an amount of €525,425 was allocated for the projects and services under Kildare Youth Services, which operates under Youth Work Ireland. My Department provides funding to Kildare Youth Services under the Special Projects for Youth Scheme in respect of six local youth projects in Athy, Naas, Leixlip, Newbridge, the Curragh and Kildare town and a Youth Information Centre in Naas.

In addition, I was pleased to approve the establishment the Local Youth Club Equipment Scheme in 2017. The primary focus of this scheme will be to assist volunteer led clubs and 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. Some €6.35 million has been made available nationally, of which more than €230,000 has been allocated in respect of clubs and groups operating in Kildare and Wicklow.