314 Ms O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation when decisions will be made on the allocation of money through the Young Peoples Services and Facilities Fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19455/99]

The Government set up the young people's facilities and services fund – YPFSF – last year to develop youth facilities, including sport and recreational facilities, and services in disadvantaged areas where a significant drug problem exists or has the potential to develop. The three year fund aims to attract young people in those areas, at risk of becoming involved in drugs, into more healthy and productive pursuits.

Last April, the Cabinet committee on social inclusion allocated over £25 million from the fund for expenditure over the next three years on support for locally developed integrated plans comprising 295 facility and services projects in the local drugs task force areas – 12 in Dublin and one in Cork city. The allocation was made on the basis of the recommendations of an inter-agency assessment committee, chaired by an official from my Department.

An amount of £0.5 million was also allocated at the same time to support a number of nationwide initiatives to inform and raise awareness of the dangers of drug misuse, particularly through peer education. Additional funding has since been earmarked under the YPFSF to support drug prevention strategies to be developed locally, with the VEC acting as the lead agency, in urban centres where a significant drug problem exists or has the potential to develop, specifically including south Cork city, Galway, Waterford, Limerick, Bray and Carlow.

As a result, £1 million from this fund has already been allocated to implement strategies over the next three years in Galway and south Cork city, where a contribution of £100,000 from the Irish Youth Foundation has been made to support projects in Togher.