Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator for raising the issue and I welcome the opportunity to respond. She wrote to me last week on this issue and I appreciate her concern. I have also received a number of representations from other public representatives on this matter, including the Minister of State, Deputy Catherine Byrne, Deputies Ó Snodaigh, Bríd Smith and Joan Collins and Councillor Michael Watters. All the representations I have received express grave concern as to what are seen as a potential loss of an important community resource as a result of a decision taken by Tusla. It is important to note that there has been no final decision.

Since becoming aware of these concerns, my Department has sought clarification from the chief executive of Tusla. I needed clarity on the decision to move the Rialto Springboard project family support service from the current arrangements with the F2 Centre. I want to know what is happening and to seek assurance that there will be no loss of service to the area concerned. I hope that what I can tell the House today will be of some assurance in this regard. Tusla administers and provides funding to a number of family support services, including family resource centres, as well as prevention, partnership and family support and parenting information. Tusla is fully committed to growing the Springboard Project for the whole of Dublin 8 in order to better meet the needs of the whole community, including Fatima and Rialto.

The socioeconomic needs of the Dublin 8 area have been fully researched and evidenced in Tusla's Dublin south central area directorate.This was done by means of a baseline survey and additional research commissioned by the Dublin south children and young people's services committee to identify the needs of the community. We are well aware of the evidence.

I am informed that meetings have taken place between Tusla's regional service director, Tusla's area manager for Dublin South-Central and the voluntary board of management of the F2 Centre. At these meetings, concerns regarding the current governance structure were outlined. This is particularly in the context of all of the Rialto Springboard project staff being directly employed by Tusla, including the manager. I understand that a further meeting between senior management from Tusla and the manager of the F2 Centre to discuss concerns will take place in the coming days.

Tusla has advised me that the structure of the board of management of the F2 Centre does not meet the requirements necessary for the growth, development and sustainability of the Springboard project for the wider Dublin 8 community. It is concerned the service was not meeting the needs of families who are being referred for family support services by social workers. In the Dublin South-Central area, Tusla has implemented a number of changes within the prevention, partnership and family support structure. This includes the development of a child and family support network, which seeks to develop inter-agency relationships and to use projects such as Rialto Springboard to identify families and children in need of support and intervention. We need to ensure a more timely response to families in need in Dublin 8 and this is how we are trying to do this. That is what has been said to me.

The manager of the Rialto Springboard project has consulted widely with families and children currently in receipt of services from Springboard in respect of the proposed changes. Assurances have been given that work already taking place with those families will continue. By temporarily relocating the Springboard project close to the Rialto area, Tusla believes the service will also be able to make savings in respect of a recent rent review undertaken by the F2 Centre, as the Senator indicated. These savings can and will be invested back into the project to enhance services for the entire Dublin 8 area.

It is essential to note that there is no planned cessation of services for families in the community. Tusla is working to improve and grow the service for the whole area extending beyond the areas of Fatima and Rialto. Tusla is working with other agencies in Dublin 8 to expand the Rialto Springboard project to include existing regeneration projects in the area. This will improve responses to the needs of families in the community, such as children affected by the regeneration of Dolphin House where Rialto Springboard has been more present this year. The work of other Departments and agencies in a range of State-supported community-based services associated with Rialto and Fatima is also highly relevant to the well-being of children and young people.

As the Senator knows, this work could not succeed without a major effort on the part of the large number of volunteers who give their time in various ways to make their communities better. I acknowledge the important contribution of all volunteers in that community and throughout the country. It is important that all State bodies co-operate to meet the needs of service users and achieve the best possible outcomes. I place a very high value on community-based family support services.

I reiterate that there has been no final decision on this. My office is engaging directly with Tusla at a senior level to ensure that the way forward meets the needs of the community. Our ultimate aim is to provide more services, better and more timely services for families in Dublin 8. I will be kept informed of all developments.