James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Government is delivering the most comprehensive reform of policy and provision for children, young people and families in the history of the State and our commitment to continuing that work remains very strong. Tusla's accounts for 2014 show total expenditure of €627 million. In accordance with the establishing legislation for the agency, I will be laying its full 2014 accounts before both Houses of the Oireachtas over the coming weeks.

In 2015, Tusla has a total budget of €643 million, which accounts for 63% of the Department's total Vote allocation and includes €631 million in current funding and €12 million in capital. This represents an increase of €34 million and is a 5.6% increase on the allocation to Tusla's in budget 2014. This funding increase demonstrates that, despite the budgetary constraints, the Government remains strongly committed to delivering the critically important support and reforms needed to support Ireland’s children and families. This additional funding is helping drive key priorities in the reform of services and assists Tusla to deliver on its mandate from Government.

Like all State agencies, Tusla has reviewed the scope to make savings across various areas of expenditure and to ensure that services are developed where possible. It has identified areas where resources need to be provided and it has also identified areas where available funding can be used to better effect to support service delivery. The key focus has been on ensuring that services are streamlined and rationalised where necessary, with any overlap in service provision and duplication of costs eliminated. I have specified to Tusla that it should do everything to defend front-line services to children. I am very supportive of the approach Tusla is adopting in terms of the reform of services, the targeting of funding at front-line services and the work being done in developing a new approach to the commissioning of services.

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