Sinéad Gibney (Dublin Rathdown, Social Democrats)
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40. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department accepts that the lack of dedicated spaces for young people is contributing to poor mental health outcomes and loneliness, given recent research by the European Union Joint Research Centre which found that Ireland is the loneliest country in Europe; the steps her Department is taking to address this issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37978/25]

Sinéad Gibney (Dublin Rathdown, Social Democrats)
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41. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department accepts the need for a national approach to provide integrated youth hubs in towns-cities across Ireland where young people can access State- and community-based services and have a safe space to congregate with their peers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37979/25]

Marie Sherlock (Dublin Central, Labour)
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52. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will consider targeted investment in State-run youth spaces as part of Budget 2026, given the growing demand for early intervention mental health, education, and wellbeing supports for young people, and the opportunity these hubs present to deliver multiple services under one roof; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38082/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 40, 41 and 52 together.

Arising from Budget 2025, €84.4m has been made available to my department in current and capital funding to support youth services and youth programmes. This includes an increase of €6m in current funding on the 2024 budget. Over the period from 2020 to 2025, the level of current Exchequer funding for youth services and programmes has increased by over 35%.

The additional funding secured in Budget 2025 will support the sustainability of youth organisations, while also expanding youth work service capacity through the funding of new targeted youth services. An additional €1.2m was secured to provide for the establishment of 10 new UBU services which will provide targeted youth worker-led support for up to 1,000 disadvantaged young people where they are most needed. The UBU Your Place Your Space scheme targets disadvantaged young people with evidence-informed interventions.

A new pilot initiative has been supported with €0.5m in 2025 as part of the Government’s commitment to tackling Holiday Hunger. This summer meals programme will help feed up to 1,000 young people aged 10 to 18 years, who are at risk of not having access to a hot meal or any substantial meal during the official school summer closure.

In 2025, the Department has increased funding by 8% to a total of €2.7 million for the Local Youth Club Grant Scheme, supporting volunteer-led youth clubs and groups nationwide to deliver safe, inclusive, and engaging activities for young people in their communities.

A further €16.2 million has been allocated to the Youth Services Grant Scheme, an increase of 11%, to support National Youth Organisations, enabling the continued provision of youth services, programmes, and dedicated spaces for young people across the country. These investments reflect the Department’s ongoing commitment to strengthening local infrastructure and ensuring access to quality youth development opportunities.

Capital funding of €0.5m capital will be made available for the set-up costs of new UBU services established over the course of 2025, and to the National Youth Organisations to support the purchase of essential equipment and the completion of minor works.

The Department acknowledges the importance of a national approach to developing youth spaces in towns and cities across Ireland. Action 10 of Opportunities for Youth: National Strategy for Youth Work and Related Services commits to the development and implementation of a policy for youth spaces and facilities at the local level. In parallel, Action 13 commits to supporting appropriate indoor and outdoor spaces through relevant infrastructure and community development schemes.

These actions are informed by consultations with young people in the development of the strategy regarding the need for adequate premises for youth service delivery. The strategy promotes enhanced access to existing facilities within each ETB area, as well as the identification and development of new spaces where need is evidenced.

This approach is intentionally balanced with an emphasis on engaging young people “where they are”, recognising the value of outreach, detached youth work, and digital engagement formats. The Department continues to support a flexible, inclusive model of youth provision that addresses both spatial needs and the evolving ways in which young people access services.

This flexible, inclusive model ensures that young people can access supports where and how they engage best, and that provision continues to evolve with their needs.