asked the Minister for Education if he will state the reason for his refusal to grant direct aid to Ferns Diocesan Youth Service, Wexford, which has 43 affiliated youth groups of different types, a full-time staff of three and a wide range of training and other services, in view of the fact that a very substantial annual grant is given to a corresponding body in another part of the country outside Dublin.

It is my policy to channel grants from the special fund for youth and sport through the national governing bodies of the various voluntary organisations. There have been a few exceptions in favour of youth organisations prior to 1974. At that date it was decided not to initiate any new schemes of aid to individual counties on a piecemeal basis but to wait until a national scheme could be introduced which would be just and suitable to all areas not already getting aid. A great majority of the groups involved in the Ferns Diocesan Youth Service belong to organisations which are in receipt of substantial grants from my Department.

The basis of my question was that substantial grants were paid last year to the same type of organisation as the Ferns Youth Service. Would the Minister confirm or deny this fact?

I have admitted it in my answer.

What does the Minister intend to do in the coming year?

I have told the Deputy that since 1974 the policy has been changed.

I am talking about 1976.

The people who were in before 1974 are getting annual grants. Since 1974 instead of giving money to the individual organisations in individual areas, the money has been granted to the headquarters body of the organisations and they distributed it to the sectors of their organisations in the local areas.

28.