Mr. Bernard Gloster:

A great deal of good work is done in the FRC programme. No different from what we discussed with Deputy Verona Murphy, the variations across the country are vast and wide. Some family resource centres have different points of focus in the work they do. There is nothing wrong with that because they are responding to local needs. The work of centres also crosses age ranges, so they do not just deal with children. Their relevance is across a wider spectrum.

I do not have a fundamental objection to growing the programme, but I equally do not have a single-preference policy position of pursuing only that option. In terms of their work with Tusla, what family resource centres provide to children and families is also provided by many other family support-like organisations that we fund and that are not in the FRC programme. I am more focused on the development of family support services as part of what we do in each area, including Erris, than just on the family resource centres. If a family resource centre started under the programme tomorrow, we would fund some core costs, for example, for a manager and an administrator, and perhaps some programme costs. That of itself will not substantially increase the volume of services in an area at the very start, as it also depends on the level of service that we can develop.

I have received representations in respect of the Erris issue. It is a difficult one to determine because there are obviously different views.