asked the Minister for Labour if he will consider making a special grant available to the Kerry diocesan youth service to help them to continue providing excellent services to the young people of County Kerry with particular reference to youth work training for adult leaders; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

: My Department already support the work of Kerry Diocesan Youth Service through the annual grant made available to the parent body, the National Federation of Youth Clubs, and through the development officer scheme.

: Do I take it that there is no increase for 1983 over 1982?

: No, the Deputy should not take anything of the sort. The situation is that the Estimates published in December of last year by the outgoing Administration made available an increase of only 1 per cent on last year's expenditure. That sum was recognised by this Government as being wholly inadequate to meet our commitment to treat the funding of youth services as a priority. As a result of that, the Government made available an extra £550,000. That sum will now be spent during the course of the year. In order to meet the immediate needs of the various organisations who are grant beneficiaries a sum of 70 per cent of last year's grant was made over to them in the first instance to carry them over their immediate difficulties.