Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 23 November 2023
269. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he has received correspondence from a charity (details supplied) regarding a funding deficit; and what action his Department will take to ensure the service can continue. [51604/23]
View answerTusla, the Child and Family Agency, commissions CARI to provide therapeutic services to children and their families impacted by Child Sexual Abuse.
CARI highlighted the issue of a financial deficit in August 2023 where it was expressed to Tusla, the Child and Family Agency and my Department that CARI would need €243,000 until the end of 2023. Tusla and my Department have been actively engaging with CARI, and additional funding was provided by Tusla in October to address the projected financial deficit by CARI at that time. The conditional agreement between Tusla and CARI was based upon CARI providing a detailed financial governance business plan to Tusla to ensure on going core funding for 2024.
The CEO and Senior Management of Tusla are engaging with CARI actively to reach a solution. The key elements of the financial deficit for CARI have been identified by the Department. There are several key drivers which have led to cost increases including the using up of financial reserves built up over time to supplement funding shortfalls such as; an increase in running costs, decreased income from funding and under charging for the full cost of therapy.
As a Department the promotion of child welfare is the paramount concern. The initial amount required to ensure operations by CARI could function until end of year was outlined to Tusla in August 2023 and a plan was put in place on the 8th of November. This is an ongoing development that requires both Tusla and CARI to reach a mutually beneficial agreement. However, CARI's financial deficit has changed significantly from the original figure outlined to Tusla in August 2023 and upon which significant and additional once off financial funding was provided.
It is important to note that Tusla has not reduced funding to CARI’s core funding. The core agreed funding level remains at €336,000 yearly. This is the amount the organisation is funded to operate their core services within. Additional services provided to local areas based on local need are funded separately and of course these amounts vary, dependent on both the level of need for such services and the capacity of CARI to deliver these services. In addition to core funding, and additional funding for local needs, Tusla also provided a 5% Covid expenditure payment in 2021, and 4% increase to all section 56 organisations core funding for sustainability in 2022.
Tusla's CEO confirmed in writing to the Chair of CARI that Tusla funding to CARI in 2024 would be continued as core funding and local funding similar to 2023.
Tusla anticipate 2024 funding for CARI will be approximately 576,000 (core and service initiatives) but will not include additional 250,000 once off. The once off additional funding was provided by Tusla to allow the Board of CARI time to develop a business plan for 2024 in line with their allocation and to provide a sustainable model of financial governance.
Officials from my Department are continuing to liaise with Tusla in this regard and the situation requires close review by Tusla regarding any future issues in this regard. The Department welcomes the continued communication between Tusla and CARI.
