Eamon Scanlon (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

381. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the funding set aside in each of the past five years for vulnerable and disadvantaged young persons between 16 and 24 years of age in County Sligo that are not in regular education or training; her views on whether there is a particular problem in the north west; her further views on the reasons for same; if her Department or agencies under its remit plan to improve the situation for young persons in County Sligo; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18816/18]

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

Children and Young People’s Services Committees (CYPSC) are a key structure identified by Government to plan and co-ordinate services for children and young people in every county in Ireland including County Sligo . The overall purpose is to improve outcomes for children and young people by enhancing interagency co-operation at a local and national level having regard to issues including children and young people not in education or who are not participating in training courses. Through its work in the Sligo area, Sligo CYPSC aims to realise the five national outcomes set out in Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures: The National Policy Framework for Children and Young People (2014 – 2020).

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 provided by my Department to Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim Education and Training Board over the past five years for vulnerable and disadvantaged people in Sligo is provided in the accompanying table. In certain circumstances the distribution of funds between counties within an ETB area is not available to my Department.

Special Projects for Youth funding is made available in respect of out-of-school projects for disadvantaged young people. Young People Facilities and Services funding 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. Youth Information Centre funding provides young people with access to information on rights, opportunities, health and other matters. The Local Youth Club Grant Scheme supports youth work activities at a local level. These grants are made available to all youth clubs and groups through their local Education and Training Board.

Youth Officers of the Education and Training Boards have an important support role to my Department in the administration and co ordination of youth services at a local level. Funding is provided under the Youth Officer function to assist Education and Training Boards with the cost of employing youth officers. Last year the local youth club equipment scheme enabled volunteer led clubs and groups that work with young people to purchase sports, arts, adventure and other much needed items.

My Department recently completed an exercise with Pobal and each Education and Training Board which mapped youth service provision across the State. This mapping exercise will assist my Department and each Education and Training Board in developing a detailed social demographic profile, in terms of both population numbers and deprivation levels, which will inform future developments and investment in youth services. My Department is committed to working with Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim ETB to identify need and explore ways to address this need where it emerges.