Aisling Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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84. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to outline the Government’s commitment to family resource centres; for an update on the work done by family resource centres across the country; and the potential for establishing more family resource centres. [61878/25]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy. As she may be aware, the family resource centre programme is expanding from 121 to 126 members this year. Funding for the expansion was secured by the Department in budget 2025 and I want to acknowledge in the Chamber the former Minister, Deputy Roderic O'Gorman, in that respect.

Regarding the expansion of the family resource centre programme, a comprehensive national application and assessment process was undertaken earlier this year, which was led by Tusla and independently chaired by a representative of the University of Limerick. All applications were reviewed and scored against clearly defined and published criteria, including population need, the level of deprivation, child population data and existing service provision and gaps. This year's expansion is the first since 2018 and is a very welcome development.

The five successful services joining the programme were announced on 29 August and are based in Dublin, Galway, Kildare, Louth and Monaghan. I understand Tusla and the family resource centre national forum will be on hand to assist the new services in assimilating into the programme. The selection process was outlined in the Tusla outcome letter issued to all unsuccessful applicants following the announcement of five new programme members by press release on 29 August. Applicants were also informed that their application will remain under active consideration should additional funding be secured for further expansion of the family resource centre programme in 2026.

In line with the programme for Government commitment to work to increase funding and expand capacity and the network of family resource centres, I am delighted to report that I secured additional funding in budget 2026 for the further expansion of the family resource centre programme by increasing membership by ten to 136. This will see more people benefiting from the many positives that the centres bring to communities.

I expect Tusla will be in a position in the near future to confirm the locations of the additional family resource centres on the basis of need, determined by the published criteria. I appreciate that is a significant uplift to a local community, given the breadth of work the centres do on the ground.

Aisling Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister for the update on the commitment of the Government and Minister to family resource centres across the country. I welcome the opening of new centres as I know how much they can do and add to our communities. I know how much family resource centres add because there is an extremely active and hard-working one in my home town of Trim. I cannot impress upon the Minister enough how important it is to provide additional supports, not least financially, to existing facilities like Trim Family Resource Centre. We have spoken about this on a previous occasion and I know it is a priority for the Minister.

Trim Family Resource Centre is an integral part of the Trim and south Meath community and provides many invaluable services in the locality. Parent and toddler groups, counselling and youth unemployment supports are some of the more obvious services it supplies. Lesser-known activities happen, which could be a service user's only outlet in a week or a real help to working parents during school breaks, such as weekly walk and talks, men's musical meet ups and low-cost summer camps. I ask the Minister continue to review and increase funding for family resource centres when possible and that their value and addition to our communities is always recognised and rewarded by the Government.

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy. I know first-hand from the Deputy the benefits of Trim Family Resource Centre and the great work it does. She has spoken to me frequently about that. With the resources they have, more and more is being asked of family resource centres and they are constantly stepping up to the mark to deliver. The Deputy outlined the great variety and breadth of work that is being provided by Trim Family Resource Centre, which is a testament to the determination to deliver on-the-ground services for the community.

People may be aware that the fund equalisation scheme for family resource centre programme was initiated in 2024. This ensures that all programme members received minimum core funding of at least €160,000 from 2025 onwards. Core funding principally covers the salaries of staff along with some operational costs. I can confirm to the Deputy that I have secured additional funding. We are currently working on that and within a short time, I should be in a position to confirm exact funding. There will be an increase in funding from the current figure of €160,000.

Aisling Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister. That is welcome news. Trim Family Resource Centre will not be found wanting in the type of projects it will allocate that money to. It is involved in projects such as zero tolerance, which tackles domestic violence, as well as low-cost rental for partyware, which is a relief to many families in my area. My question remains the same. I know the Minister is committed to the programme. I ask her to keep the pressure on in government and keep the funding for and allocation to family resource centres when she can.

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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As I said, it is a strong commitment from Government that we will increase the number of family resource centres. I am conscious of the need to improve the core funding that goes to the centres. I am very pleased that, in budget 2026, I am in a position to have secured funding that will ensure there will be an additional ten family resource centres. I am also in a position to say that I secured funding that will increase the €160,000 base that is provided for in core funding.

The great thing about family resource centres is that they do a multiplicity of work and provide a multiplicity of services. The door is open to everyone. Whatever the need might be, family resource centres, in my experience, will always find a way to meet that need. Whether that is education and training, supporting personal group development, offering practical assistance to individuals and community groups, such as to access technology or office facilities or whatever the case might be for the very young or older members or those at any age or stage in life, there is support to be found at the family resource centres. It is my ambition to ensure that we will provide a greater number of family resource centres and that we will also improve the funding to the resource centres.