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Family Support Services

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 7 February 2013

Thursday, 7 February 2013

Questions (179)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl

Question:

179. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the current position in relation to funding for the family support agency; her views that the existing network of family resource centres are adequately funded; if she has plans to fund further centres; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6507/13]

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Written answers

Funding of over €23.5 million has been provided to the Family Support Agency (FSA) for 2013. This includes a dedicated provision of over €14 million in respect of the Family Resource Centre Programme in 2013. Under the programme some 106 Family Resource Centres will receive funding from the FSA this year. The FSA, like all other State bodies, has been asked to make savings across all the programmes which it administers. In this context the Family Resource Centres have been asked to focus, in particular, on identifying the scope for greater efficiency and for reduction in the administration and overhead costs associated with the day-to-day running of the centres..

The functions of the FSA will transfer to the new Child and Family Support Agency upon it's establishment. The Government has approved the Heads of a Bill to establish the new Agency and has also agreed to the priority drafting of this Bill. The necessary legislative and organisational preparations are being prioritised so that the Agency can be established as soon as possible.

It is my intention that the work of the new Agency will include a particular focus on the provision of services that could help prevent problems arising for a family, that would identify problems and provide supports at an early stage and that would assist children and families in managing serious problems requiring specialised interventions beyond their own resources. The new Agency will build on the excellent work undertaken by the Family Support Agency over the last decade, and a community based approach will form an integral part of its work.

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