John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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42. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her plans to fast-track a review of the service provision of family resource centres by Tusla to provide centres with only two members of staff an opportunity to secure additional funding and work with a base of three staff; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50214/17]

John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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Will the Minister fast-track a review of the service provision of family resource centres by Tusla to allow centres with only two members of staff an opportunity to secure additional funding and work from a base of three staff?

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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Family resource centres play a really important role in communities across the country. I am personally convinced by the work they do in identifying and providing the services most needed by their communities. It is for this reason that the Government has provided additional funding of almost €3 million for family resource centres in 2018. As part of this allocation, I am pleased to confirm that additional funding of €10,000 will be made available to each family resource centre. Tusla will have discussions with centres about service needs, funding and staffing resources.

On the operation of family resource centres, the Deputy will be aware that they are independent organisations which are managed by voluntary boards of management which represent the local community. The centres operate independently of Tusla. Each centre is responsible for the recruitment of employees and the terms and conditions under which they are employed. The Deputy may also be aware that last week Tusla announced once-off funding for small capital works of €2.12 million for the 109 existing family resource centres.

I am placing strong emphasis on the development of capacity within the family resource centre programme next year. Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, allocates funding to 109 family resource centres. I have provided funding for Tusla to increase this number by 11, bringing to 120 the number of family resource rentres that will be operational next year. Family resource centres are critical to prevention and early intervention. Through their services and engagement, they can spot potential difficulties for children and families before they emerge as serious issues. They support families and in so doing make an invaluable contribution to keeping children safe and well.

John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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I acknowledge the additional funding which the Minister has indicated will be made available next year. The question I am asking is slightly different in that historically we have had 109 family resource centres, approximately 45 of which work from a base of three core staff, while the remainder work with two. The problem is that the additional funding will not be sufficient to allow some of these family resource centres which operate in disadvantaged areas an opportunity to grow. Having met representatives of some of the family resource centres, while one-off grants are always welcome, it is very hard for centres to plan from one year to the next without a sustainable level of core funding. The challenge I am meeting is that a substantial number of centres which have only two core staff and which are operating in areas experiencing significant disadvantage cannot seem to obtain the additional funding required from Tusla to transition from a base of two staff to three. That is the challenge we are facing.

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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I am very pleased to engage with the Deputy on this issue. I understand and I am aware of the concerns about some family resource centres throughout the country. I have an absolute commitment to and an understanding of the incredible work done by family resource centres. Therefore, I was determined to ensure we would be able to invest more next year, as well as making more support available this year. As I have identified, we have recently done that. This commitment is demonstrated in providing more money for the centres, as well as to expand their number throughout the country. As the Deputy can appreciate, I have also received many representations in that regard. I see this as the first step towards increasing the level of investment in family resource centres. I accept some of the points raised by the Deputy, but this is a significant first step and a demonstration of our commitment.

John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister. When she has time we may be able to visit Quarryvale family resource centre. Its grant for 2017 was €86,500. When the Minister was announcing additional funding on Friday last, she spoke about 11 new family resource centres and made available funding of €1.76 million for them, which is €160,000 per family resource centre and almost double what the Quarryvale family resource centre currently receives. The centre is very constrained. Too much of the time of development workers there is taken up with fundraising to keep essential services running. In an area of huge disadvantage, those workers now hear of new family resource centres that will be funded at twice the level of their centre. Therein lies the challenge. I acknowledge that the Minister is expanding the number of centres but some family resource centres that are working from the core base of two employees have huge issues in their areas. They do not just need an annual grant, their core funding must be significantly increased to allow them move from a two-person to three-person operations in order to meet the needs in their communities.

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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As regards Quarryvale family resource centre and as the Deputy is aware, the funding of €86,478 covers the salaries of a full-time co-ordinator, a part-time development worker and a part-time administrator. When Quarryvale entered the programme in 2005, its original budget was set at €39,777. Whether the same criteria are used to determine the annual funding of family resource centres depends on when the project entered the programme. The number of staff, location, size and catchment area of the centre and the deprivation index of the area are also taken into account. Quarryvale is in the lower funding bracket due to its only having two staff - as the Deputy identified - as well as the date on which it entered the programme. It is located in an area of high deprivation. The Deputy has raised these issues and I have asked that they be examined. I am investing money in the sector. I understand the concerns raised by the Deputy and I will ask Tusla to note them, particularly in the context of Quarryvale, for the future.