Michael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent)
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251. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will allocate €10 million in Budget 2025 to establish 34 universal youth work hubs and uplift the youth services grant scheme to support pay parity, enhance volunteer-led universal youth work, and engage an additional 27,560 young people and 2,800 volunteers; if he will examine this request which is highlighted in an organisation’s pre-Budget 2025 submission (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37073/24]

Michael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent)
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252. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will allocate €1 million in Budget 2025 to employ 14 specialist staff to coordinate digital youth work and engage 1,400 young people in digital skills and literacy development; if he will examine this request which is highlighted in an organisation’s pre-Budget 2025 submission (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37074/24]

Michael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent)
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253. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will allocate €1.5 million in Budget 2025 to recruit 23 dedicated mentoring and specialist staff to support 400 new mentoring matches and provide specialist support for 225 young people from diverse communities; if he will examine this request which is highlighted in an organisation’s pre-Budget 2025 submission (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37075/24]

Michael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent)
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254. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will allocate €2 million in Budget 2025 to establish 15 new targeted youth projects under the UBU Your Place Your Space scheme, engaging 1,200 young people experiencing disadvantage; if he will examine this request which is highlighted an organisation’s pre-Budget 2025 submission (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37076/24]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 251, 252, 253 and 254 together.

I have received the submission referred to by the Deputy, and it is being reviewed within my Department.

Budget 2025 is currently being considered by Government in the context of the annual estimates process. Therefore, the Deputy will appreciate that it would not be appropriate for me to comment further at this stage.

However, from 2020 to Budget 2024, current Exchequer funding for youth services and programmes increased from €61.79 million to €77.95 million, a 26% increase overall.

My Department has made a significant investment in youth services in 2024, building on the increases in recent years and securing the achievements into the future. The current funding for youth services and programmes in my Department this year is €77.95 million, an increase of €5 million, or 6.8%, on the 2023 budget.

In the context of Budget 2025, I am committed to supporting this important sector which provides positive and transformative opportunities and supports to young people.

Michael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent)
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255. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will allocate €0.5 million in Budget 2025 to increase funding for an initiative (details supplied), supporting an additional 930 young people in local, regional, and national decision-making processes; if he will examine this request which is highlighted in an organisation’s pre-Budget 2025 submission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37077/24]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Budget 2025 is currently being considered by Government in the context of the annual estimates process. Therefore, the Deputy will appreciate that it would not be appropriate for me to comment further at this stage. I am aware, of course, of the pre-budget submission in question and the request for additional funding for Comhairle na nÓg.

In 2022 there was an increase in funding of Comhairle na nÓg by €155,000. That represented an uplift of 20% on the previous year.

I am committed to supporting Comhairle na nÓg which provides such positive and transformative opportunities for young people.