Written answer
Youth Services
91. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether her Department has conducted an assessment of the long-term impact of austerity-era cuts on youth services and youth infrastructure; the efforts being made to restore levels of funding to the era pre-austerity; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51911/26]
Comment on this
The global economic crash which occurred in 2008, and the resultant national austerity measures severely impacted on the funding available to support programmes across all areas which included the youth sector. The Comprehensive Review of Expenditure 2012-2014 required all government departments to make substantial savings across all budgets and funding programmes which included youth funding programmes.
The core current funding available to support youth organisations and youth services decreased from €68.4 million in 2008 to €49.8 million in 2014 arising from the fiscal restraint imposed across all government departments. However, over the last decade this core current funding allocation has seen year on year increases and has steadily increased by over €38m or 73%.
The 2026 core current funding allocation for youth organisations and youth services of €90.1 million has resulted in an increase of €21.7 million or an increase of 32% on the core current funding allocation available for the provision of youth services in 2008.
Based on the CSO CPI Inflation data, recent budget increases, particularly from 2021 onwards, have now brought the allocation in 2026 above this inflation-adjusted benchmark. This indicates that the real-terms gap created during the post-recession austerity period has been closed.
In the context of Budget 2027 and beyond, I hope to build on the recent increases in youth funding over the years ahead to ensure youth organisations are enhanced and supported in their work. This commitment extends not only to current funding supports but also to investment in youth infrastructure.
In this regard, funding of €4 million per annum has been secured under the National Development Plan for youth capital investment up to 2030.