Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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398. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the extent to which the need has arisen to develop and expand youth services with particular reference to issues that may have arisen during the Covid-19 pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36473/21]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Young people have been severely affected by the restrictions to protect public health during this pandemic. This has been borne out by multiple research reports including “How's Your Head?”, a national consultation commissioned by my Department.

In recognition of the vital role played by youth work in providing support to young people, funding levels have been maintained throughout the current challenging period. My Department has also engaged with the sector to develop sector specific guidance which were updated at each point there was an update in the Covid-19 measures.

I secured an increase of €5 million in funding for youth services in 2021. €66.8 million is being provided to youth services nationwide this year. Funding during Covid-19 restrictions was maintained. The additional funding allocated to youth services in 2021 will support the delivery of universal and targeted youth services nationwide, with a particular view to the role played by youth services in fostering resilience and developing the social and personal competencies of young people.

In terms of developing new youth services, I secured an additional €1 million for the provision of new UBU Your Place Your Spaceservices in 2021. Six Education and Training Boards (ETBs), who did not form part of the Sample Services process in 2016 and 2017, were pre-selected to establish new services. These ETBs are:

- City of Dublin ETB

- Donegal ETB

- Kerry ETB

- Laois and Offaly ETB

- Louth and Meath ETB

- Waterford and Wexford ETB

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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399. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the extent to which his Department continues to liaise with youth representatives with a view to establishing the highest possible contact and dialogue in order to meet their requirements to an even greater extent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36474/21]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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My Department maintains close contact with the national youth organisations funded under the Youth Service Grant Scheme and I, and officials from my Department, meet formally with these organisations twice a year to share knowledge and information on developments in the youth sector. Although this schedule has been impacted by Covid-19, my officials and I have maintained engagements with the National Youth Council of Ireland, Youth Work Ireland, Foróige and Scouting Ireland, among others, in recent months. Officials from my Department meet formally with youth organisations on an individual basis when the need arises and also maintain informal contacts.

The Deputy may be aware that we provide funding to all 16 Education and Training Boards (ETB) around the country to support youth services and that each ETB has a Youth Officer. Youth Officers provide an important support role to my Department in the co-ordination and administration of youth services at local level. My officials hold quarterly meetings with them and these meetings assist my Department in identifying service needs and emerging issues, particularly for vulnerable young people.

My Department has engaged with the youth sector during Covid to develop sector specific guidance which are updated in tandem with the evolving Covid-19 developments. My officials continue to engage regularly with youth sector representatives in relation to the impact of the pandemic and associated health restrictions on young people and youth services.