Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 3 May 2023
367. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he has engaged with his colleague in the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform in the context of seeking funding to directly fund or devolve to Tusla for use in youth-focused community and voluntary organisations. [20662/23]
View answerI am in regular contact with the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform with regard to the funding for my Department and its aegis bodies. My Department funds over 600 organisations in the community and voluntary sector. The bulk of that funding is distributed through Tusla.
Officials from my Department are in regular contact with officials in the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform regarding the funding streams to my Department.
As you are aware, in advance of the annual Budget announcement in October of each year, there is an Estimates process which commences in the summer (usually July). As budget holder for Tusla’s core annual funding budget, my Department co-ordinates and submits an Estimates bid to the Department of Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform.
As part of this process, Tusla develops and submits a detailed Estimates bid, in which Tusla outlines budget requirements for the following year. In addition, both Tusla and my Department receive many prebudget submissions from the Community and Voluntary sector making observations and suggestions as regard the impending budget. In its bid Tusla includes any estimated requirements for funding to enhance existing services to meet current and expected demand, or for new developments in services, should funding be available.
There is a period of consultation within DCEDIY and between the Department and Tusla.
Following submission of the bid to the Department of Expenditure National Development Plan Delivery and Reform, further discussions and meetings between the Ministers of both departments occur, and in an area with many competing priorities and a hotly contested fiscal space Tusla’s budget for the following year is announced on Budget day.
