Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

208. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the youth services that are available in an area (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49729/17]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

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 provision involving approximately 1,400 youth work staff and 40,000 volunteers working in youth work services and communities throughout the country.

Budget 2018 provided an additional €1.5m 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. My Department has commenced a process with national organisations and local services to identify service development needs for 2018 and to finalise the 2018 allocations. Every effort will be made to complete this process as soon as possible.

Finglas Youth Resource Centre is funded under my Department’s Young Peoples Facilities and Services Fund. Thisfund was established by the Government in 1998 to assist in the development of preventative strategies in a targeted manner through the development of youth facilities, including sports and recreational facilities, and services in disadvantaged areas where a significant drug problem exists or has the potential to develop. In 2017 this project received an allocation of €354,134, an increase of 5% over its 2016 allocation.

Finglas Youth Resource Centre also received Local Drug Task Force funding of €82,518 in 2017. The 21 projects within this scheme provide a range of supports for young people by way of a targeted drug prevention and awareness programmes as well as referrals.