Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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260. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if any potential funding streams are available to a centre (details supplied) for the targeted youth employability support initiative, which was previously funded under the Dormant Accounts Fund by the Department of Children, Equality; Disability, Integration and Youth but has not been renewed as a multi-annual project.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62901/22]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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My Department secured Dormant Accounts funding for the Initiative which was designed to run over the period 2021 to 2022. Funding was made available to applicants from all 16 Education and Training Board functional areas.

The time limited nature of the initiative and the overall duration of funding available was advised to all successful applicants from the outset as part of the terms and conditions. The aim of this particular initiative was to provide short-focused interventions to enable young people to support their confidence and agency to engage in a wide range of progressive routes to further education, training and employment.

Separate to the initiative referred to by the Deputy, my Department provides significant funding to organisations at local and national level to support young people to address a range of needs including the provision of age-appropriate tools and information related to the acquisition of employment and life skills.

For example, funding in excess of €44 million is provided to over 260 funded organisations under the UBU Your Place Your Space funding scheme. The mission of this scheme is to provide out of school supports to marginalised, disadvantage or vulnerable young people aged 10-24 years of age in their communities. The organisations referred to by the Deputy receive funding under this scheme. The scheme includes a range of target groups to support young persons and some 75% of the funded organisations include target groups working with young people not in employment, education or training.

In addition, there is a youth related focus and a number of actions included in 'Pathways to Work 2021-2025', the government’s national employment services strategy and overall framework for activation and employment support policy.