Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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529. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which her Department can offer funding to groups, bodies or organisations offering shelter or other forms of support including health support for children deemed to be at risk; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33839/16]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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My Department does not have a dedicated scheme in place through which groups, bodies or organisations can apply for funding for the purposes mentioned by the Deputy.

However, the Deputy will be aware that my Department provides funding for the Child and Family Agency, Tusla. Budget 2017 provides €713 million for Tusla, representing an increase of €37 million on the current spending allocation for 2016. Tusla provides a comprehensive range of services and supports for children at risk and their families. These include:

- Child Welfare and Protection Services;

- Services previously delivered by the Family Support Agency and the National Educational Welfare Board;

- Pre-school Inspection services;

- Domestic, sexual and gender-based violence services previously delivered by the HSE and refuges, responsibility for which transferred from the Department of the Environment;

- Community-based services related to the psychological welfare of children and families.