AQW 51228/11-16

Ms Claire Sugden
Independent
East Londonderry

Tabled Date: 20/11/2015
Answered On Date: 04/12/2015
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Education whether (i) funding for the youth service is ring fenced; and if so, (ii) he has plans to maintain this protection.

Answer:

Funding to the Education Authority for youth services during 2015-16 has been protected. A separate budget exists for the Youth Council.

Departmental budgets beyond 2015-16 are not yet available, but it is known that the outlook will continue to be challenging for public sector financing. Therefore, I cannot confirm at this stage if I will be in a position to maintain the current protection in place for the Education Authority’s youth service budget beyond 2015-16.