Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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813. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if Tusla was obliged to carry any of the Health Service Executive's deficit when following its separation from same; if so, the amount; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30840/14]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Tusla was established on a statutory basis with effect from 1 January 2014. The new Agency took over responsibility for children and family services previously provided by the Health Service Executive (HSE) and also assumed responsibility for the operations of both the National Education Welfare Board (NEWB) and Family Support Agency (FSA).

A due diligence process was undertaken to identify and establish the associated staff and financial resources to transfer from the HSE. The transfer of responsibility was accompanied by a transfer of staff and budgets previously under the remit of the HSE, NEWB and the FSA. The process did not include any obligation to carry any of the HSE's 2013 deficit. As a consequence of this the 2014 Revised Estimates for Public Services, published by the Government on 18 December 2013, contained significant resources for Tusla which amounted to €609 million. This included provision of €602 million in current expenditure and a capital allocation of €7 million. This includes new resources in areas such as the reform of child protection services where an additional €6.7 million (€12 million in a full year) was made available in Budget 2014.

Notwithstanding the very significant resources provided, certain areas of expenditure, such as legal costs, have in the past proven difficult to manage within the allocated budget. Tusla is implementing significant reforms to seek to achieve greater value for money in such areas and the progress in this regard is subject to ongoing monitoring and review with my Department.