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Family Support Services.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 14 December 2006

Thursday, 14 December 2006

Questions (125)

Damien English

Question:

116 Mr. English asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the progress to date in reaching the target of 100 family resource centres here by the end of 2006; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43272/06]

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Written answers

The administration of the Family and Community Services Resource Centre (FRC) Programme is one of the key functions of the Family Support Agency. The FRC programme provides financial assistance to projects to assist with the staffing and equipping of local resource centres which provide a focal point for community development activities. The emphasis in the projects is on the involvement of local communities in developing approaches to tackle the problems they face and on creating successful partnerships between the voluntary and statutory agencies in the areas concerned. The services provided and activities supported by the resource centres are designed to meet the needs of the local community and include the provision of training, information, advice and support to target groups and families in the area; the provision of education courses, childcare facilities to those attending such courses and the running of after-school clubs.

Family Resource Centres are an example of the kind of community initiative which the Government is keen to develop, focusing as they do on family support and social inclusion. For this reason I am pleased to say that the target set by the Government under the 2000-2006 National Development Plan of including 100 Family Resource Centres in the FRC Programme nationwide by the end of 2006 has been delivered on. There are currently 96 centres in receipt of core funding by the Family Support Agency with a further 4 having received approval to join the Programme. Funding under the Programme has increased substantially from €317,500 in 1994 to over €12.9 million in 2006.

Question No. 117 answered with QuestionNo. 94.
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