Key facts and materials to support your campaign
In Budget 2020 our members are calling for increased investment of€16.6m in youth work, including €3m in the Youth Service Grant Scheme. These are modest demands in light of years of underinvestment.
Key facts
Youth Work funding still 17% below 2008 levels
Since 2011 overall Government spending up 12%. Youth Work funding up just 0.3%
Youth Work only received €10.6m or 2% of additional €511m budget for Department of Children and Youth Affairs since 2014
Sample Parliamentary Questions
Contact your local/constituency TDs/Senators asking them to raise funding for youth work in the Dáil/Seanad, and ask TDs to submit Parliamentary Questions requesting Minister Zappone to increase investment in youth work in Budget 2020:
To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will increase investment in youth work in the upcoming Budget to support the work of youth organisations to deliver more and enhanced youth work services to young people in X (insert town/city/county/constituency); and if she will make a statement on the matter
To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she is aware that while the budget of her Department has increased by €511m between 2014 and 2019, that only 2% of that additional funding has been allocated to support youth work and if she will address this lack of financial support in the upcoming budget; and if she will make a statement on the matter
To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she is aware that while overall Government expenditure has increased by 12% since 2011, that funding for youth work has only increased by 0.3%, to ask will she address this lack of investment in the upcoming Budget, so that voluntary youth organisations in X (insert town/city/county/constituency) can meet the needs of young people; and if she will make a statement on the matter
To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will increase the allocation to the Youth Service Grant Scheme which supports 30 voluntary youth organisations to deliver mainstream youth work and to support local youth groups, branches and units in the upcoming Budget, in light of the fact that the allocation to the scheme is at 2005 levels not taking inflation into account; and if she will make a statement on the matter
List of representatives (TDs and Senators)
Contact your local/constituency TDs/Senators asking them to write to Minister Zappone seeking additional investment in youth work in Budget 2020
Pre-Budget Submission
You can download your copy of our Pre-Budget 2020 Submission here. Please also find a submission made to Minister Zappone on the Youth Service Grant Scheme here.