Minister Joe O’Brien welcomes €800,000 additional funding for 65 youth services across the country

12th August, 2021

Minister Joe O’Brien welcomed the announcement of €800,000 additional funding for 65 youth services nationally.  This is part of a €5 million package under Budget 2021, and this funding has been secured for the first UBU Resilience and Effectiveness Initiative.  The Education and Training Boards administer the funding to organisations.  Foróige Balbriggan are set to benefit from the initiative with increases to baseline grants ranging from just over €4,000 to almost €38,000.

Eligible youth services lodged an expression of interest with their local Education and Training Board (ETB) and successful services will see an increase in their base funding going forward. Eligibility related to cost pressures or if there were less than 2 Whole Time Equivalent workers associated with youth services funded through the UBU Your Place Your Space scheme.

Minister O’Brien commented:

“I am delighted to see that this investment of Exchequer funds will help so many youth organisations across the country, including Foróige Balbriggan. This additional funding is not about Covid-19. It is about a long-term investment in youth services.

“I particularly welcome the assistance of the ETBs and their efforts to maximise the funding available. This sees the greatest benefit for young people supported by smaller youth services receiving additional funding today.”

The initiative helps smaller youth services to increase their youth work provision. It also benefits organisations that have been facing cost pressures, including those that have seen a reduction in service provision in recent years.

ENDS

For further information contact johanna.walsh@oireachtas.ie