Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 November 2019
993. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if correspondence from a person (details supplied) will be reviewed; if a 5% increase in family resource centre core funding will be granted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44698/19]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, on 23 April 2019, I made an announcement that the additional €1.5m in funding for Family Resource Centres (FRCs) was to be used this year as follows:
- to increase core funding to each of the 110 FRCs which existed pre-2018 by 5%,
- to employ an additional 17 Family Support Workers - one FRC in each of the 17 Tusla geographical areas is to be allocated funding to employ a Family Support Worker,
- to fund the Family Resource Centre Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Promotion Programme.
Tusla, the Child and Family Agency administers the Family Resource Centre Programme.
I understand that Tusla issued the promised 5% funding increase to FRCs on 11 October, 2019, including the organisation referred to by the Deputy. Tusla has also informed FRCs of its decision regarding the distribution of Family Support Workers in the 17 named FRCs throughout the country. In the Cavan/Monaghan area, Teach Oscail FRC in Cavan will receive funding for the employment of an additional Family Support Worker.
Arrangements are to be in place to ensure that the 17 new Family Support Workers are employed by FRCs by the end of the year.
I can confirm that while my office has not directly received the correspondence to which the Deputy refers, it has received and dealt with documentation from other representatives on behalf of the named organisation.
