Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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318. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the extent to which he continues to liaise with youth groups and representatives in County Kildare and throughout the country with a view to establishing supportive dialogue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28750/22]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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My Department maintains close contact with 30 national youth organisations which it funds under the Youth Service Grant Scheme. My officials and I meet formally with these organisations twice a year to share knowledge and information on developments or challenges in the youth sector. This provides a forum for organisations to give information on national issues but also identify specific locations that require additional focus. A number of these national organisations provide a range of youth services in the Kildare area.

My Department provides funding to all 16 Education and Training Boards (including Kildare/Wicklow ETB) to support youth services in their area. Youth Officers are supported to provide an important function for my Department in the co-ordination and administration of youth services at local level. My officials hold quarterly meetings with the ETBs.  These meetings assist my Department in identifying service needs and emerging issues, particularly for vulnerable young people. 

Officials from my Department also meet with various youth organisations on an individual basis when the need arises, in regular formal meetings with individual organisations, or as a group, and by maintaining informal contacts.

As we move beyond the pandemic and manage the national response to the Ukrainian crisis, my Department will continue to ensure there is sufficient engagement with this important sector, which provides enormous value to young people.