Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 20 September 2018
16. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her views on whether family resource centres are in receipt of an appropriate level of funding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37972/18]
View answerTusla, the Child and Family Agency, administers the Family Resource Centre Programme.
Among my key priorities for 2018 was further investment in Family Resource Centres in local communities that deliver services to families, especially in disadvantaged areas across the country.
In 2018, I was pleased to secure a budget allocation of some €753 million for Tusla, an increase of some €40 million over 2017.
This increase in funding included an additional allocation of some €3 million for the Family Resource Centre Programme, bringing the total funding this year to €16.5m.
The investment has allowed Tusla to expand the Programme this year, with the inclusion of 11 additional centres, which brings the total number of Family Resource Centres to 120.
I allocated additional funding of up to €10,000 to all pre-existing Family Resource Centres this year. In financial terms, funding to the Programme is now the highest it has been for almost a decade.
Tusla has advised that funding for individual Family Resource Centres can differ, depending on a range of factors, including:
- the size and population of the catchment area,
- the degree of economic disadvantage in the area, and
- the existing distribution of services in the area.
Decisions with regard to funding levels in 2019 will be taken in the context of the Estimates process. For this reason, it is not possible at this stage to advise on what level of funding will be available to the Family Resource Centre Programme next year.
I am pleased to have been in a position to support the work of Family Resource Centres this year, through the targeting of additional resources to services that will impact positively on vulnerable children and families.
I am committed to the further development of Family Resource Centres and I will continue to seek funding for them as part of the Budget discussions for 2019.
