Written answers
Tuesday, 23 July 2024
Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
Youth Services
Gary Gannon (Dublin Central, Social Democrats)
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1869.To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the reason despite an 11.1% funding shortfall being identified for independent Dublin youth projects, there has been just a 1.5–2.5% increase in budgets. [32695/24]
Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Since I became Minister I have secured increases in current funding for youth from €61.8 million in 2020 to €77.95 million in Budget 2024, a 26% increase overall.
The UBU Your Place Your Space funding distributed under this scheme has increased during this time by 28%, from €37.3 million to €47.9 million in 2024. The total funding allocated to City of Dublin ETB (CDETB) for youth services under UBU in 2024 is €16.67 million.
CDETB also receives an annual General Grant allocation, worth €509,000 in 2024, and an annual Local Youth Club Grant Scheme allocation, worth €391,667 this year.
Additional funding which has been allocated to CDETB for youth services during the course of the year to date includes €113,300 under the Resilience and Effectiveness Initiative, €200,000 under the Minor Grants scheme, €107,400 under the Targeted Youth Employability Supports Initiative, and €64, 400 to support the provision of summer programmes.
My officials are currently working on a review of the UBU Your Place Your Space scheme, which will provide the Department with more comprehensive evidence on the areas that are in need of additional support and inform the policy direction on how best to distribute funding to support young people.
Gary Gannon (Dublin Central, Social Democrats)
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1870.To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if there are plans to establish an investment fund for youth work facilities and infrastructural improvements, as recommended by experts in the youth work sector. [32696/24]
Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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My Department is currently carrying out a mapping exercise in respect of youth services, which will include the premises currently used for youth services and help to identify gaps and shortfalls in the availability of spaces for youth services. This analysis is necessary to enable the Department to determine how best to direct capital funding over the period ahead.
While this research is underway, I have prioritised the direct delivery of services and programmes for young people and secured an increase of €5 million, or 6.8%, in Budget 2024 for current expenditure.
Gary Gannon (Dublin Central, Social Democrats)
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1871.To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the plans that are in place to address the fact that 86% of independent Dublin youth projects surveyed have reported an inability to meet the demands of new national pay increases and auto-enrolment pension saving schemes. [32697/24]
Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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My Department provides funding to youth services on the recommendation of the local Education and Training Board on the basis of the 'provision of a service' basis to meet the needs of the youth population in an area which are identified by the relevant ETB. As the State is not the employer of the youth workers , we do not set salary rates for workers in this sector.
I recognise the importance of the youth sector in providing supports to all young people, and in particular those who are disadvantaged, marginalised or vulnerable. From 2020 to Budget 2024, current Exchequer funding for youth services and programmes increased from €61.8 million to €77.95 million, a 26% increase overall.
My Department is currently working on a Workforce Development Strategy for the youth sector which will provide a framework to address workforce issues in the sector in a more systematic manner.
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