Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North-West, Fianna Fail)
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105. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department is aware of financial constraints currently being experienced by independent youth projects in Dublin; if she will put in place a bespoke solution to alleviate any constraints, in partnership with the City of Dublin Youth Services board; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39999/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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My Department is dedicated to enhancing the delivery and development of youth work services and opportunities for young people across the Sixteen Education and Training Boards (ETBs), including City of Dublin. In Budget 2025, the City of Dublin Education and Training Board (CDETB) received a total allocation of over €20 million, reflecting an increase of €842,698 compared to its 2024 funding level. This funding supports a broad spectrum of youth-focused initiatives administered by CDETB, including the UBU Your Place Your Space programme, the Targeted Youth Employability Support Initiative (TYESI), Migrant Integration Funding, the Local Youth Club Grant Scheme (LYCGS), the Summer Meals Programme, and the provision of Youth Information Centres. These supports are vital in promoting inclusive, locally responsive services that meet the evolving needs of young people in Dublin.

My officials met with representatives of the Independent Youth Projects Dublin Collective, which comprises 31 youth projects, in May of last year, and financial constraints were identified. Since then, total funding for the 31 independent youth projects has increased by €750,584, rising from €12,708,697 in 2024 to €13,459,281 in 2025.

The table below details the UBU funding allocated to these projects this year: