Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal East, Labour)
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281. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills is she aware of the increase in referrals of youths to youth services in Swords from the fast growing Donabate area (details supplied); and the means by which she intends to address this matter as a priority; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49781/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Supporting youth services is a priority for the Department of Education and Youth, ensuring that young people in Dublin and Dún Laoghaire Education and Training Board (DDLETB) and across the country have access to valuable resources and opportunities. The Department recognises that evolving demographic patterns can place additional demands on youth service provision.

The Department’s strategic response to such challenges is guided by Opportunities for Youth: National Strategy for Youth Work and Related Services, published in September 2024. The strategy sets out a framework for a more effective, data-driven, and coordinated approach to youth service delivery.

The extensive consultation process with young people, key stakeholders and the public highlighted the issue of insufficient local spaces and premises for youth work services as well as the fact that they are unevenly distributed across Ireland and not sufficiently visible.

Action 9 is intended to address a number of issues such as helping to identify gaps in service provision so we can have a more data-led distribution of funding; mapping facilities available at a local level so that we can best target any capital funding that is secured; and supporting cooperation across services.

Under Action 9, extensive progress has been made on the development of a comprehensive mapping tool to capture the provision of youth spaces across the country. The first phase of this involved the creation of an internal dashboard for departmental use. This dashboard provides a structured overview of services by location and type and forms a key foundation for the broader mapping initiative. This mapping exercise will support future investment decisions, inform service expansion, and enhance accessibility by identifying geographic and thematic gaps in youth provision.

Actions 10 and 13 are committed to developing and implementing a policy for youth spaces and facilities at a local level. Given the degree of infrastructural demands at a local level, addressing the needs of young people and youth services for suitable premises requires a co-operative approach.

My officials are currently working on an action plan which will outline the implementation approach for the strategy, and this will be shared with stakeholders for their input in due course.