Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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424. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will resolve a human resources related issue (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36299/15]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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The Family Resource Centre referred to by the Deputy has been in receipt of funding under the Family Resource Centre Programme which is administered by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. The Centre’s budget for 2015 is set at €90,453.

Tusla's priority is that Family Resource Centres will have the capacity to provide modern and appropriate services for all children and families in the communities they serve. These services need to be reliable, responsive, sustainable and accessible to all.

Tusla fully recognises the need for community-based family support services serving the communities of Sneem, Tahilla, Castlecove, Kilgarvan and Kenmare. To that end, Tusla is working with the Centre and representatives from these communities to ensure that the funding currently available under the Family Resource Centre Programme is directed to the provision of a community-based service, one that is operating to its full potential and which best supports and promotes the development, welfare and protection of children, and the effective functioning of families.

Consistent with this approach, it has been decided to establish a new Family Resource Centre in Kenmare to serve the communities of Sneem, Tahilla, Castlecove, Kilgarvan and Kenmare. A new legal entity will be formed. The current Voluntary Board of Management of Kenmare Community Care will be re-constituted. It will initially include community representatives from the Family Resource Centre referred to and Kenmare Community Care.

Family Resource Centres are independent companies limited by guarantee and are managed by a Voluntary Board of Management which is representative of the local community. While Tusla funds the salaries of staff engaged by Family Resource Centres, each individual Family Resource Centres is responsible for the recruitment of employees and the terms and conditions under which they are employed.

As Tusla is not the employer of Family Resource Centre employees, the Agency is not in a position to offer contracts of employment. However, in order to support the two employees in question, Tusla has asked the Regional Support Agency to explore at local level whether the staff can be facilitated when Kenmare Family Resource Centre is established. Tusla has asked the Regional Support Agency to report back to it on this matter as soon as possible.