Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 October 2019
76. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if funds will be made available to a service (details supplied) to ensure that it can continue to provide its services to the families in need in the Dún Laoghaire area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43280/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraI thank the Deputy for his question about the Cottage Home Family Support Service. I know he has been active in seeking a solution to the problems which the service has been experiencing, and has previously tabled questions on this issue.
I understand that, at the time when the Cottage Home made its initial request for funding, available resources for family support services had been allocated to services in the Tusla Dublin South, Dublin South East, and Wicklow area.
In 2018, Tusla provided funding of some €1.7m to the Cottage Home for its residential care service. This level of funding is being maintained in 2019. Tusla has never funded the Cottage Home family support service.
Tusla's Service Director for Dublin Mid Leinster and Service Director for Commissioning both met with The Cottage Home on 23 September, 2019 to discuss their concerns. Tusla has held several meetings with the service in the past year at a local and regional level, including a meeting which I attended. Tusla's Service Director for Dublin Mid Leinster and the local Area Manager have also visited the service on many occasions.
Prior to closure of the Cottage Home family support service, the local Tusla Area office advised the service that it did not have funding of €400,000 for the service. However, Tusla informed the Cottage Home that it had identified €38,000 that it could redirect to the Cottage Home family support service as a form of assistance. I understand the Cottage Home declined this offer. Tusla remains open to engagement with the Cottage Home with regard to family support services in the area, and potential means of assistance.
Tusla funds a range of family support services across the region. As with all State bodies, Tusla must make funding decisions based on its available budget and the most urgent needs within an area.
On receipt of notification of the closure of the service, Tusla has pledged to respond to any outstanding requests for assistance from children and families that had been using the Cottage Home's service.
I am in no doubt that the decision to close the service has been a difficult one to make, and that this outcome was not what the Deputy or the service wanted. I have met with representatives of the service and recognise the value of the service to people in the area. However, it is important that Tusla assigns its resources to the areas which it perceives to be in greatest need, ensuring the best possible outcomes for children and families.
Funding of family support services is informed by Tusla’s commissioning approach. I am confident and assured that Tusla seeks to fund services in the most beneficial, effective, efficient, proportionate and sustainable manner, in order to improve outcomes for children.
