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

I appreciate the Senator's concerns regarding the sustainability of community and voluntary sector organisations. They provide vital services to children, to families and to young people. I share Senator Dooley's concerns about the sustainability of those organisations and that is why this year I asked Tusla to examine what additional resources it could provide for these organisations on a once-off basis. As the Senator is probably aware, Tusla was able to provide an additional €7 million in funding last month for the section 56 organisations. A once-off 5% increase in funding was provided to these organisations, which amounted to €6.2 million. Additional funding, beyond that 5%, was given to certain organisations where there were particular sustainability issues. We were also able to provide an additional €4.7 million in the budget to the domestic, sexual and gender-based violence services around the country.

My firm commitment is to continue to strengthen the infrastructure in place to support the protection, welfare and well-being of children, families and the wider community. We will work closely with Tusla and colleagues in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to ensure that the agency and the services it funds receive adequate levels of funding in the year to come. I will also be meeting with Clarecare in the next two weeks about a separate issue, but I am sure that will give me the opportunity to perhaps discuss this issue and to recognise the wider work of that organisation, as the Senator stated.