Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

551. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will address the funding cuts that have taken place in regard to organisations (details supplied); the funding received since 2007, in tabular form; when funding will be restored in view of the fact that pay restoration has also been a factor over this period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13900/18]

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 areas.

My Department, along with all government departments, was required to deliver substantial savings on all funding programmes in line with the Comprehensive Review of Expenditure 2012-2014. My Department sought to ensure front line youth services, particularly those for the most vulnerable young people, were protected as far as possible from the impact of the reduction in funding.

In recent years funding for the provision of youth services has been increased on an annual basis by €1.1m in 2016 to provide current funding of €51.895m, by €5.5m in 2017 to provide current funding of €57.395 and by a further €1.5m in 2018 to provide current funding of €58.895m.

I am aware that a number of youth workers based in Dublin City and employed in projects administered by the City of Dublin Youth Service Board, are on scales linked to public pay scales and may be eligible for increases under the Haddington Road agreement.

It is important to note that the youth workers employed by these services are not public servants and that this local arrangement is unique to services operating in Dublin City.

Based on the information provided to my Department, the cost of implementing the Haddington Road agreement in these Dublin City services is more than offset by the increases provided to all youth services over the past two years. In 2016, all staff-led youth services were provided with a 2.5% increase in allocation. In 2017, services were provided with a 5% increase in their allocation.

The funding provided to Ballymun Regional Youth Resource and Poppintree Youth since the establishment of my Department in 2011 is provided in the following tables.