James O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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227. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will reconsider her Department's policy for the UBU project applications submitted for each county; if she will reconsider that Cork should be allowed more than one project, as per her Department's guidelines; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53711/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The department is dedicated to enhancing the delivery and development of youth work services and opportunities for young people across the country, including in county Cork.

The UBU Your Place Your Space (UBU) scheme is a youth funding scheme that targets young people aged between 10 – 24 years who are identified as marginalised, vulnerable and at risk of not flourishing. The UBU scheme provides funding to 249 targeted youth services across 16 education and training boards (ETBs) that coordinate delivery of funding to the services in their local ETB areas.

In 2025, over €3.8 million was allocated to Cork ETB under the UBU scheme to support the 30 UBU funded organisations under their remit. Additional funding of €46,463 has been allocated to Cork ETB under the Resilience and Effectiveness Scheme in 2025 to further support UBU-funded organisations to develop capacity and respond to emerging needs.

In Budget 2025, €1.2 million was secured to provide for the establishment of ten new UBU services across the country which will provide targeted youth worker-led support for up to 1,000 young people where they are most needed.

Following an assessment process led by the department, the ten ETBs that have been awarded funding for a new UBU service were announced on 27 August 2025 and are as follows:

• Cavan Monaghan ETB

• Donegal ETB

• Kerry ETB

• Kildare Wicklow ETB

• Kilkenny Carlow ETB

• Laois Offaly ETB

• Longford Westmeath ETB

• Louth Meath ETB

• Mayo Sligo Leitrim ETB

• Tipperary ETB

The ETBs awarded funding have issued calls for youth organisations to apply to establish and deliver these new services in the selected areas.