Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister. He said that the budget is not finalised yet. Both the Minister and I know that one of the most important aspects of family resource centres is that they are rooted in their communities, involve community participation and respond to the specific needs of families, especially in disadvantaged areas across the country. While the two centres in south Leitrim do really good work they are too far away and their focus is, rightly, on their communities. There are four electoral areas in County Sligo and each one of them has a family resource centre. There are three electoral areas in County Leitrim but only two of them have a family resource centre. In north Leitrim, over a distance of 62 km from Drumshambo to Tullaghan, there is no family resource centre so a centre is needed on the basis of geography, on the basis of responding to the needs of families and supporting families so that they can access these services.

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