Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 827: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs her views on family resource centres and the contribution same make to our communities; if funding will continue to be provided to these centres; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30566/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Family and Community Services Resource Centre Programme is operated by the Family Support Agency which is under the auspices of my Department. There are currently 107 Family Resource Centres (FRCs) nationwide. The total budget for the Family and Community Services Resource Centre Programme in 2009 is over €18m.

The aim of this Programme is to combat disadvantage and improve the functioning of the family unit. The emphasis in Family Resource Centres (FRC) is on the involvement of the local community in developing approaches to tackle the problems they face and on creating successful partnerships between the voluntary and statutory agencies in the area concerned. FRCs assess the needs of their local communities and ensure that there are services and supports in place to address these needs. They involve people from marginalised groups and areas of disadvantage at all levels in the project.

The Report of the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes made a range of recommendations relating to the Department of Social and Family Affairs including recommendations relating to the Family Support Agency and its programmes. The Department will consider, as part of the Estimates and budgetary process for 2010, the Report's recommendations and decisions on all of the issues arising will be a matter for Government. It would not be appropriate for me to comment further at this stage pending the outcome of these deliberative processes.