Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 549: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if she will reinstate the Family Support Agency's capital grant scheme. [15751/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Family Support Agency funds the Family and Community Services Resource Centre Programme, the Scheme of Grants to Voluntary Organisations providing Marriage, Child and Bereavement Counselling Services, the nationwide Family Mediation Service and research on family related issues. Funding for the Family Support Agency in 2009 now totals €35.707m.

Funding of €1m had been set aside to make capital grants available to Family Resource Centres later in 2009. However, as part of the Government's collective approach to controlling short-term expenditure in the interests of Ireland's future prosperity, this grant scheme will not now go ahead. Our support for family services, however, remains strong. The total budget for the Family and Community Services Resource Centre Programme in 2009 is over €18m and is helping communities throughout the country to support families.