Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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219. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if support for youth work and voluntary youth work organisations will be increased in budget 2019 in view of the growing youth population and the fact that youth work funding remains 20% below the level of funding provided in 2008; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40486/18]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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Funding of €58.9m has been made available to my Department in 2018 to administer 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 work services and communities throughout the country.

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 that front line youth services, particularly those for the most vulnerable young people, were protected as far as is possible from the impact of any necessary reductions in funding.

I am pleased that my Department has increased investment in youth service provision over the past number of years with an increase in current funding for youth services of €5.5m in 2017 and a further increase of €1.5m in 2018.

My Department has carried out a Value for Money and Policy Review of a number of schemes supporting youth services. This review involved an in-depth scrutiny of the impact youth service provision has on young people’s lives and made a number of recommendations for the future operation of the youth schemes and their development in the years ahead.

I want to streamline the various funding schemes for youth services so that we maximise their benefit and target money to best effect. I have prioritised the work of developing a new integrated funding scheme as recommended by the Value for Money and Policy Review. Consultations with various stakeholders are continuing with a view to introducing this new and fit for purpose youth funding programme as soon as possible.

Finally, I am committed to continuing to seek additional support for youth services and youth organisations in Budget 2019 and beyond.