Investment in Youth Work: Motion
Seanad Éireann — 2026-04-15
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Victor Boyhan (IND), Agricultural Panel

I thank the Minister, Deputy Naughton, and her officials for coming here today. I acknowledge and thank Sinn Féin. This is a very timely use of Private Members' business and I thank Sinn Féin for it. It gives us an opportunity. Those who know me know that I tend to cut to the chase. At the end of the day, there is a lot of pious stuff in Private Members' motions but the real thing is "What are we asking?". What are we calling on the Government to do? This motion is calling on the Government to commit. Clearly people have spoken in favour of it, which is fantastic. We are committing here tonight to the establishment of a €75 million young people's spaces, facilities and services fund, and to collaborate with other Departments, Government agencies and the local authorities to ensure that young people have places and spaces to engage with youth work. That is marvellous. It is a commitment that everyone has spoken in favour of. I just hope that somehow the Minister will be able to secure that funding in the next budget or over a period of budgets. That is what the Seanad, across parties, is asking the Minister to do here today and Senators have indicated their full support for it. We are also committed to moving to core youth work funding on a multi-annual basis. I commend that.
I fully support the three amendments and have indicated that I will second them. I thank Senators Lynn Ruane and Alice-Mary Higgins, who unfortunately cannot be here. They are involved in other parliamentary business tonight. They will have my full support. I am very happy to put on the record my seconding of those three amendments.
I will say a few other things. I will not rehash what has already been said, but I acknowledge the very important and significant contributions by Kathryn Walsh and Grace McManus. Many will know Grace McManus who was a former Sinn Féin councillor in Bray, County Wicklow, and a worker and committed member within Sinn Féin. She is very committed, as is Kathryn Walsh. They sent some documentation. It is very important. I also acknowledge Senator Scahill; I will touch on him in a moment if time permits. I draw the Minister's attention to a document from the National Youth Council of Ireland, which is the Pre Budget Submission 2027: Securing Foundations. I will make three points and I will read them onto the record right here. I am sure the Minister has a copy or we can supply a copy. One of the principal questions is why we need to support youth work. It states, "Youth work services play an essential role in improving outcomes for young people by providing safe spaces, support and new opportunities."
Another key point that I took out of this document, which I think is worth bringing into this debate here tonight, is a 2026 survey response from an NYCI member organisation:
Our biggest financial challenges are staffing-related. Retaining staff and managing their workload is difficult, and we urgently need additional funding to hire at least one more team member to handle the increasing demands and ensure current staff are not overworked.
It is an important point that I know the Minister will understand. Another survey response in the report relates to capital investment, which states, "Two satellite projects operate from portacabins and require upgrading and modernisation. Our main building has issues with pyrite and we will have to relocate at some point to enable repairs to be carried out". The Minister might consider this NYCI Pre Budget Submission 2027: Securing Foundations. We have a long way to go but I just wanted to say that.
My colleague, Independent Senator Aubrey McCarthy, talked about youth cafés. They are really important. I would urge anyone who has not been out to Greystones to see the work of Senator McCarthy with youth cafés and support to go and do so.
Senator Scahill facilitated a very important meeting, which was a gathering today in the AV room. It was interesting. A document was circulated with it and the Senator has indicated he can make one available to the Minister. I acknowledge the very positive contribution of work, both from him and the Roscommon Comhairle na nÓg. It was very significant. The research and report was sponsored by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. I acknowledge that is important. I also acknowledge Youth Work Ireland Midlands and Roscommon County Council.
It was a very moving day. I want to thank the Senator for the presentation. When I opened the cover of the presentation, it reminded me about the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Young people have the right to say what they think about anything that affects them. What they say must be listened to carefully. When decisions that affect young people are made by official bodies, they must listen to what the young people want and feel.
I will finish on this point, because I am a realist. All services, like youth services and additional services, cost money and we have to prioritise those most in need. The strongest case has to be made. While we advocate for increased services and supports for youth services and capital funding, we must never lose sight of what is most important, namely, vulnerable communities and vulnerable people, vulnerable young people who have fallen out of education or who were brought up in State care and other institutions of this State who then, at the age of 15 and 16, may have found themselves homeless in our cities and our towns. They have to be our most important focus because, as the Jesuits used to say, give me the child until he is seven and I will show you the man. I believe in that. It is so important that we tap in early to all young people but particularly those who are on the margins, who are vulnerable and who have never been supported to realise their full potential. Everyone is important, but we have limited resources. That has to be our most important focus.
I want to thank Sinn Féin and all those who have contributed tonight. They were all very positive. I thank the Minister for her time.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-04-15/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:48+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-04-15