Some 191 constituents from Galway East and West have urged their local TDs to support their call for an increased investment in youth work in Budget 2026.
The petitioners have added their names to a localised version of the National Youth Council of Ireland’s All Ages for Youth Work campaign, calling for increased investment of €21.3m in Budget 2026 to protect existing services, expand access, and fund safe, well-equipped spaces.
Nationally, this letter has been signed by 788 people aged 18-34, 2193 people aged 35-44, and 644 people aged 65 plus. Using these figures, the constituents emphasised that they are “voters across all ages who believe in the value of youth work to our community.”
The appeal was made to the Galway East TDs Minister Seán Canney, Deputy Albert Dolan, Deputy Louis O’Hara, Deputy Peter Roche, as well as the Galway West TDs Deputy Catherine Connolly, Deputy John Connolly, Deputy Mairéad Farrell, Minister Noel Grealish, and Minister Hildegarde Naughton
They believe that with the right support, they can meet the young people’s needs in Galway East and West today and build stronger communities across Ireland for all.
Youth work supports mental health, builds confidence and life skills, and creates safe offline spaces where young people are supported to grow and thrive. Right now, youth services are under real pressure. The cost of living, rising demand, and years of underfunding are making it harder to keep services running.
