Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

573. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will review the provision of funding to the counselling services of Accord, based on the work it carries out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20598/15]

Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

577. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will provide a breakdown of the funding granted to Accord; the reason there has been a reduction in such funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20676/15]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 573 and 577 together.

The establishment of Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, has presented an opportunity to explore new approaches to meet the needs of the most disadvantaged children and families. Through a comprehensive scoping exercise across all services, Tusla has begun the process of identifying where the resources can be used to best effect and consistent with its mandate.

Tusla is undertaking a restructuring of its existing funding allocation to ensure priority is given to counselling services that best support and promote the development, welfare and protection of children and effective functioning of families.

Accord provides a range of services in a number of areas:

- they provide marriage and relationship counselling services for people who are experiencing difficulties in their relationships,

- quite separately, it provides marriage preparation courses for people who are getting married in the Catholic Church.

Tusla has determined that Marriage Preparation Courses, which are paid for by couples, does not form part of its core mission. I am informed by Tusla that they do not provide funding to any other dedicated marriage preparation courses.

Tusla will spend almost €6 million this year on counselling services, including the provision of significant funding to Accord, which amounts to over a quarter of the available funding. In 2014, Accord received €1.992m in core funding from Tusla. I understand from Tusla that Accord will receive approximately €1.6m in funding in 2015.

Tusla is targeting funding available at their core mission which is supporting and promoting the development, welfare and protection of children, and the effective functioning of families.