Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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272. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the funding for her Department both current and capital for 2019; the expenditure profile at the end of March 2019; if EU funding is available to her Department; if so, the programmes that are assisted with such funding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18370/19]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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The Revised Estimate for Public Services 2019 makes provision for a gross funding allocation of €1.510 billion for my Department which represents an increase of just under €107 million, or 8%, over the 2018 provision. The allocation includes a current provision of €1.478 billion and a capital allocation of €32 million.

At the end of March, 2019, the sum of €430 million has been expended from my Department’s current provision and €1.7 million from the capital allocation, representing 29% of gross allocation.  

Just over half of my Department’s funding is targeted at services within Tusla, the Child and Family Agency to protect our children and to provide for their welfare. Tusla will receive additional funding of €31 million in 2019 bringing its overall allocation to €785 million.

An additional €59 million is being provided for early learning and care programmes in 2019 which will bring early learning and care funding to just under €575 million. Children, parents and providers are all set to benefit. The increased resource allows me to continue to meet the growing demand for universal and targeted supports. It also enables me to widen the thresholds of the new National Childcare Scheme that I will introduce later this year.

In addition to these areas, my Department’s Estimate for 2019 contains provision for almost €63.6 million for Youth Services. These resources will fund youth services throughout the country, including services for those at risk of disadvantage and help address some of the remaining challenges faced by LGBTI+ young people. 

Other key areas of expenditure include €26 million for the costs of Irish Youth Justice Service, including operational costs for the Oberstown Children Detention Centre; €19 million for the operational costs of my own Department; €9.5 million for Prevention and Early Intervention Programmes (which now includes the Area Based Childhood Programme and the PPFS Programme); €7 million for the Intervention Programme for Children and Young People; €5 million for the Adoption Authority of Ireland; €4 million for the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes; and just under €3 million for the Office of the Ombudsman for Children. 

An allocation of €2.098 million in 2019 is being made by my Department to support the development of youth projects under the Peace IV 2014 - 2020 Programme for Peace and Reconciliation.  This Programme is a cross border initiative funded by the EU, the Irish government and the North Ireland assembly, managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB). It is designed to support peace and reconciliation through youth work in Northern Ireland and the Border Counties of Ireland. The Children & Young People programme under Peace IV targets those young people aged between 14-24 years who are disadvantaged, excluded or marginalised, have deep social and emotional needs, and are at risk of becoming involved in anti-social behaviour, violence or dissident activity.

I am satisfied that the significant additional resources secured for 2019 will enable my Department and its agencies build on the good work achieved to date. The extra funding continues this Government’s commitment to provide high quality services for children and young people.