Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for his honest and sincere contributions this evening. It is clear that he places a huge value, as do I, on family resource centres. The Minister is very pleased that 2025 will see the family resource centre programme expanding, with the provision of five new centres. That expansion is an imminent and very welcome development for the programme, its member organisations and the communities the new centres will serve. We must acknowledge that the previous Government brought the base level of funding up to €160,000. For the Cara Phort resource centre and the one in Athlone, that is an increase of more than €40,000 per annum in core funding, which is a most welcome development. The resource centre to which the Deputy referred is at the €160,000 level. We must acknowledge and welcome that.

However, we need to go further. I agree with him that while there are many other funding opportunities and streams, it takes time and effort for centres to access them. That effort diverts the attention of the staff away from the critical services they provide. They are working with people who are very vulnerable in their respective communities, with counselling provided right across the spectrum of age brackets, from early intervention to dealing with senior citizens. They provide an invaluable service. I would like to see the funding being made more streamlined, with a block grant given every year, in order that staff can concentrate their time and efforts on providing the services that are needed in their communities. I guarantee the Deputy that I will take on board his suggestions and relay them back to the Minister, Deputy Foley. I support what he has said. I raised my concerns in this area with the Minister in the previous Government, Deputy O'Gorman. I was pleased to see he took on board those concerns. We have increased the core funding to €160,000 but we need to build on that further. I will take what the Deputy has said this evening back to the Minister, Deputy Foley.

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