Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Gabhaim buíochas don Aire as an sceideal a athrú. Tá fhios agam go raibh rud eile eagartha. It is important that the Minister is present to take this matter, particularly in view of the fact that the early years initiative comes within her remit. I welcome the recent publication of the Children First Bill and other initiatives that have been taken by the Minister since she took office.

The service which is the subject of the matter I wish to discuss is at risk of closure if funding is not provided. I refer to the Bringing It All Back Home programme, which was first launched in 2011 and which involves an inter-agency approach in respect of children and families. The programme provides people with assistance in order that they might cope with parenting and ensures the children are nurtured from a young age. A gap in this regard was identified in the highly disadvantaged area of Inchicore and that was why the programme was put in place there. However, the programme has extended its reach beyond Inchicore in order to provide assistance to services in the Ballyfermot, Crumlin, Kilmainham and Bluebell areas. The approach taken in the context of Bringing It All Back Home has been lauded by the HSE and others as a model of best practice, particularly for those involved in the operation of the ongoing Meitheal programme. It would be sad if the pilot programme which set the standard for others were to be put at risk.

The programme was initially granted funding for three years, and that period comes to an end in June. Those involved in the programme have asked for it to be funded for a further two years until such time as there is another round of funding to which they can apply for the programme to be mainstreamed properly. Then, whatever changes need to happen to their service can take place.

The programme has been successful. I gave the Minister the evaluation report earlier. An independent evaluation or reading of the report suggests the programme has been invaluable. I have met many of the parents who have come through it. Let us not forget this is only three years in the making. Two of the parents involved have gone on to college, a major achievement given where they came from in the first place. These people have been identified by services as being highly at risk.

One of the initiatives has been that the professional and voluntary services can work together. If this project were not in place there would be higher costs in the provision of these services because, in the main, these services have worked in isolation. They have managed to work together and they are particularly cost-effective, which is testament to those who are pulling it together. It is pulled together under the Daughters of Charity Child and Family Service and the national early years access initiative. I urge the Minister to consider the matter, if possible. The programme is run on a shoestring and those involved are part-time. The annual cost is €120,000, which is not a major cost. For example, those involved sourced all the furniture for the offices themselves. It has not been a burden on the State. That is not the intention. The intention is to service the needs of a seriously disadvantaged community. It is based in Goldenbridge, next to St Michael's estate, an area which, as the Minister and others in the House will be aware, has had tremendous problems over the years and has been disproportionately affected by the downturn. It would be a pity if the service was lost for other parents and children in the area since there are no alternative projects stepping in to take up the flak. There would be a loss of their expertise to the area.

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