Funding boost will not save youngballymun

A LOCAL initiative tackling inequality and child poverty in Ballymun remains under threat of closure despite a new allocation of €400,000 in contingency funding.

A recent high profile campaign to save the project – backed by IBEC’s Danny McCoy, founder of Focus Ireland, Sr Stanislaus Kennedy and hundreds of local parents – has highlighted its value to the community.

However, despite a decade of success, youngballymun, which was established in 2007, was told late last year by the Department of Youth Affairs to prepare for closure as it was originally intended to run as a 10-year project. 

Last week youngballymun confirmed it had received correspondence that it was to get €400,000 in additional funding following extensive talks with its funders, the Department of Youth Affairs and Atlantic Philanthropies.

However, while welcoming the cash injection, the project says it only represents about a quarter of its annual budget.

“As the Department remains committed to the phased closure of youngballymun by July 2017, this additional funding will extend our work for a short period of time but it does not address the need for a sustainable funding structure for our area based child poverty strategy,” a spokesperson said.

The campaign to save youngballymun is being supported by the three Dublin North West TDs who are working cross-party on the issue.

Fine Gael TD Noel Rock welcomed the funding, which he said at least removed any immediate threat of closure.

“All three local TDs have worked together on a cross-party basis to ensure that the Minister, the Taoiseach and the Secretary General of the Department were aware of the vital work that youngballymun does in our area,” he said.

“All local representatives understand and accept that the pinch in funding is a consequence of the lack of a new Government, and the difficulty of making decisions about long-term funding strategies.

“However, I am glad to see a positive outcome here, and full praise is due to those who worked tirelessly behind the scenes.”

“I think it’s crucial to note that all party manifestoes – including Fine Gael’s – committed to the implementation of an early-childhood strategy, and I believe youngballymun has a key role to play in the delivery of this.

“It is at the heart of our community, and I know that there are a great many people who are grateful for this good news today.”

Local Sinn Fein councillor, Noeleen Reilly, expressed scepticism at last week’s announcement, describing it as a “kick in the teeth” for children in the area.

“I have seen this happen a million and one times before,” she said. “Governments announce closure of services, then there is a big argument and they come back with a small amount of funding hoping the heat is then taken out of the debate and close the services the following year.

“When the cross party delegation met we were looking at full funding. This funding is nothing more than a stay of execution.”

Youngballymun says it will continue to work with its partners in Ballymun and plan for the future of its work.

“Our model of work has much to contribute to the larger questions about the need for a national child poverty strategy and the task of building a more inclusive and sustainable social and economic recovery,” a spokesperson said.

“These questions remain unaddressed.”

Meanwhile, youngballymun had some words of gratitude for its many local supporters.

“We particularly want to thank the parents and children in Ballymun for their active engagement with our whole community service strategy for children, and to thank them and our local service partners in the HSE, early years centres, primary schools and family and community services for their continued encouragement and support at this very difficult juncture.”