Written answers

Monday, 8 September 2025

Department of Education and Skills

Education and Training Boards

Photo of Grace BolandGrace Boland (Dublin Fingal West, Fine Gael)
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743. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the funding and programme supports that are being provided to DDL-ETB to expand youth services that promote soft skills, confidence, and progression into education or employment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47308/25]

Photo of Helen McEnteeHelen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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My Department is committed to supporting the delivery and development of youth work services and opportunities for young people across the 16 education and training boards (ETBs) including Dublin and Dún Laoghaire ETB (DDLETB). In 2025, over €10 million was allocated to DDLETB to support the provision of youth services in the area.

A total of €9,274,411 has been allocated to the DDLETB under the UBU Your Place Your Space funding scheme. UBU Your Place Your Space is the Department’s flagship targeted youth funding programme. It is designed to support disadvantaged young people aged 10–24 through evidence-informed interventions that promote soft skills, confidence, and progression into education, training, or employment. There are currently 32 UBU-funded services operating within DDLETB. These services are delivered by youth organisations and workers embedded in local communities, offering safe, structured environments where young people can develop personally and socially.

The scheme is built around seven core personal and development outcomes, which guide service delivery and impact measurement:

  • Communication skills
  • Confidence and agency
  • Planning and problem-solving
  • Relationships
  • Creativity and imagination
  • Resilience and determination
  • Emotional intelligence
As part of their mid-level governance role, ETBs serve as key intermediaries for the Department in the delivery of the UBU Your Place Your Space scheme. They are responsible for administering funding to youth organisations and ensuring the effective delivery of youth services at local level. In 2025, €756,956 was allocated to DDLETB under the ETB Youth Service Grant. This funding supports the ETB in fulfilling its core functions—namely, the administration of Departmental funding and the coordination and support of youth service provision across its area.

Additional funding of €84,420 has been allocated to the ETB under the Resilience and Effectiveness Scheme in 2025 to further support UBU-funded organisations to develop capacity and respond to emerging needs.

DDLETB has also been allocated €33,405 for the summer 2025 Holiday Meals Pilot Programme, a pilot programme to address holiday hunger during the summer months among young people in selected UBU services.

In 2025, DDLETB received €65,000 under the Targeted Youth Employability Support Initiative (TYESI). This funding supports projects that engage young people who are not in education, employment, or training (NEET), helping them to build confidence, develop key skills, and progress toward further education or the workforce.

In addition to core youth service funding, €298,889 was allocated to DDLETB under the Local Youth Club Grant Scheme (LYCGS). This annual scheme is specifically designed to support volunteer-led youth work activities at a local level, helping to sustain and enhance the vital work carried out by youth clubs and groups in communities across the region.

DDLETB received €101,833 in Ukrainian migrant integration funding. This funding supports initiatives that promote the inclusion and active participation of young Ukrainian people fleeing war in youth services and wider community life. It enables the development of culturally responsive programmes, fosters intercultural dialogue, and helps reduce barriers to access

Finally, in 2025, DDLETB received €153,515 in funding for its two Youth Information Centres (YICs) located in Clondalkin and Dún Laoghaire. These centres play a vital role in supporting young people by providing free, confidential, and accessible information on a wide range of topics including rights, education and training opportunities, employment, health, welfare, and other key life matters.

A breakdown of the funding for 2025 under the various youth funding lines and grant schemes is provided in the tables below.
- Dublin and Dún Laoghaire ETB
Funding Stream Allocations 2025
UBU Your Place Your Space Funding Scheme €9,274,411
UBU Resilience and Effectiveness Scheme €84,420
Youth Information Centre funding €153,515
ETB Youth Grant €756,956
Local Youth Club Grant Scheme €298,889
Migrant Integration Fund €101,833
Targeted Youth Employability Support Initiative €65,000
Summer Holiday Meals Pilot Initiative €33,405
Total €10,768,429

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