Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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509. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the supports available for the refurbishment of a community hall and the development of a youth facility; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8325/18]

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, €58.95 m has been allocated in current funding to support the provision of youth services, an increase of €1.5m. 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.  

These schemes include the Local Youth Club Grant Scheme. This 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. Each year, in the region of 1700 local youth clubs are eligible to apply under the scheme. The Scheme is intended to support the operation of volunteer-led youth projects.  

The Scheme does not extend to the provision of capital funding for large scale works. My Department does not have available any other funding streams for the refurbishment of the premises in question.