Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

As the Deputy said, we secured an additional €183 million of funding in budget 2022, bringing my Department's overall budget to €2.1 billion. The increase will be targeted at improving outcomes for children, young people and their families, as well as promoting equality and human rights. I am allocating an extra €78 million for the early learning and school-age childcare sector, €41 million additional funding for Tusla and an extra €41 million for international protection and the work to end direct provision, in addition to €23 million for a range of other areas.

The main spending areas - childcare, international protection and Tusla - represent 89% of the overall budget and are receiving a significant proportion of the increased funding. In early learning and childcare, the bulk of the extra funding allows for a new core funding scheme for providers, which in return for a commitment not to increase parents' fees will entitle them to access a new funding stream to help cover increased operating costs linked to quality improvement measures.

The additional resources for Tusla will bring funding for the agency to almost €900 million and will allow it to continue to grow, to improve front-line services and to support those services provided by its partners in the community and voluntary sector. This investment underlines the Government's commitment to ensuring that Tusla has the resources to meet its mission of protecting and supporting our most vulnerable children and families.

A key priority for me is to end direct provision and I have allocated additional funding to start the transition to a new model of accommodation to meet expected increased demand for accommodation for international protection applicants in 2022. Other very important areas, such as youth, equality and inclusion, are also receiving increases. I have also placed a particular emphasis on supporting services for former residents of mother and baby institutions.

I am very pleased the additional resources of €183 million for my Department will allow us advance with significant work in 2022 and, indeed, achieve many of the programme for Government commitments

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