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For Oral Answer on : 24/10/2024
Question Number(s): 53 Question Reference(s): 43538/24
Department: Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
Asked by: David Stanton T.D.
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QUESTION
To ask the Minister for Children; Equality; Disability; Integration and Youth how his Department is supporting youth services; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
REPLY
Arising from Budget 2025, €84.9m will be allocated for current and capital expenditure for the benefit of young people, an increase in funding of €7 million, or almost 9%, on the 2024 budget. Over the period from 2021 to 2025, the level of current Exchequer funding for youth services and programmes will have increased by over 34%.
The additional funding secured in Budget 2025 will support the sustainability of Youth Organisations, whilst also expanding youth work service capacity through the funding of new targeted youth services.
Funding secured in Budget 2025, will support the implementation of Opportunities for Youth: The National Strategy for Youth Work and Related Services 2024-2028. This strategy includes a clear set of strategic objectives and 18 priority actions intended to strengthen the role of youth work and related services in the lives of young people in Ireland.
Funding will also support the UBU Your Place Your Space funding scheme which targets disadvantaged young people with evidence informed interventions and I have secured new funding which will provide for the establishment of a further 10 new UBU youth services and these new services will provide targeted youth worker-led support to up to 1,000 disadvantaged young people where they are most needed.
Funding through the Youth Services Grant Scheme which supports national youth organisations in delivering quality youth services across the State will also be increased in 2025 and up to €1.5 million in funding has been allocated for the specific purpose of expanding the scheme to include additional national youth organisations across 2024 and 2025.
Additional funding of €650,000 has been allocated in 2024 to the Volunteer Activation Fund, which will continue into 2025, providing additional support to national youth organisations in recruiting, retaining and supporting volunteers.
Importantly, funding will also be made available for the LGBTI+ Youth Fund, which will support initiatives that ensure that LGBTI+ young people are visible, included, and treated equally in their communities, fully aligning with our Opportunities for Youth Strategy.
In addition, a new pilot initiative will be implemented in 2025 as part of the Government’s commitment to tackling Holiday Hunger. This initiative will help feed up to 1,000 young people aged 10 to 18 years, who are at risk of not having access to a hot meal or any substantial meal during the official school closure times.
I remain committed to continuing the roll-out of the Targeted Youth Employability Support Initiative which was launched in 2024 to engage and support harder to reach young people aged 15-24 who are not in employment, education or training. This initiative will receive €1m in funding for 2025.
In addition, capital funding of €1 million will be available for the benefit of young people in 2025, with €500,000 specifically earmarked for upgrading play and recreation facilities.
