Mark Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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1819. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when UBU projects announced in Budget 2025 will be allocated to counties; the way in which these projects are allocated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19063/25]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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UBU Your Place Your Space scheme (UBU) is DCEDIY's largest youth funding scheme, targeting disadvantaged young people aged between 10-24. The scheme currently provides funding to over 250 targeted youth services across 16 Education and Training Boards (ETBs), with the ETBs co-ordinating delivery of funding to the services in their local area.

Budget 2025 secured an allocation of €1.2m for 10 new UBU targeted youth services to be opened. The establishment of these new UBU services will provide targeted, youth worker-led youth services to up to 1,000 disadvantaged young people.

As the Deputy is aware, following the formation of the new Government on the 23 January 2025, An Taoiseach Micheál Martin appointed Deputy Helen McEntee as Minister for Education and Youth, while I was appointed Minister for Children, Disability and Equality. This restructuring requires a transfer of functions between our Departments, with the responsibility for Youth transferring from the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to the Department of Education. As a result of this change, the selection process for the new UBU services will be completed under the Department of Education once the Youth function transfers.