Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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22. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he is satisfied that non-sporting youth organisations, such as scouting, have adequate grant funding options available to them comparable to sporting organisations. [15032/22]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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In Budget 2021 and 2022, I secured an additional €5 million for youth services which brings the total funding from my Department to youth organisations to €71.8m. I am satisfied with the increases in funding that I have secured for youth services, clubs and organisations but remain committed to further supporting this important sector.

My Department provides extensive funding support to youth organisations under a number of schemes, in particular the Youth Service Grant Scheme, UBU Your Place Your Space and the Local Youth Club Grant Scheme. There are also 21 youth information centres funded by my Department. Many smaller local youth clubs or groups also receive funding from my Department through the Education and Training Boards under the Local Youth Club Grant Scheme. Funding of some €60 million is provided through these schemes.

UBU Your Place Your Space is the main scheme for youth services funded by my Department, with over €40 million allocated in 2022. The scheme provides out-of-school supports to marginalised, disadvantaged or vulnerable young people to enable them achieve their full potential.

Funding from my Department also includes 30 National Youth Organisations, 21 Youth Information Centres, and a significant number of local youth clubs or groups and include a range of uniformed youth organisations. National Youth Organisations and Youth Information Centres are not sport focused, and provide supports for clubs and location youth services, training, advocacy and information. The Local Youth Club Grant Scheme itself is exclusively aimed at non-sporting youth clubs and groups.

It is of course recognised that many young people attend both sporting and non-sporting organisations, and there are social, physical and health benefits to be gained from participating in one or both.