While the provision of mental health services is a matter for the Minister for Health, I can confirm to the Deputy that Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, provides funding to counselling services (some €6.7m in 2020), through a network of community-based counselling service providers and Family Resource Centres that offer a range of counselling/psychotherapy and supports. This funding is provided where there is a genuine need and demand for services and where they can be provided at low cost to adults, couples, children, young people and families.
Tusla, in partnership with the HSE Health and Wellbeing and Community Healthcare, also supports the Mental Health Promotion Project across 6 Health and Wellbeing Community Referral Sites in Cork and Kerry. This supports FRCs in promoting best practice in relation to suicide prevention and the promotion of positive mental health. Tusla also supports some FRCs in the provision of regional therapeutic hubs for Tusla service users in the wider area.
I recently met with the Family Resource Centre National Forum (FRCNF) and they described first-hand the surge in demand that FRCs are managing due to an increase in mental health issues within their communities. The accessibility of FRCs means they are well placed to provide opportunities for early identification of need, provision of appropriate interventions and alignment of community approaches with statutory services.
While I am interested in the benefits of these services, any potential funding in this area is dependent on the availability of resources. It is also important to ensure that FRCs continue to access diverse funding streams, as much of their work is in collaboration with other bodies, such as the HSE.
With regard to long-term funding, I am acutely conscious of the challenges posed for service planning by the annual nature of the budgetary cycle. The management of grant funding is governed by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform’s Circular 13/2014 with regard to the management of and accountability for grants from Exchequer funds. While I would welcome further discussion in relation to this, the Public Spending Code and any move to providing long term or multi-annual funding would be a matter for central Government, and could require significant cross-government and legislative consideration.
