Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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565. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the extent to which she supports voluntary bodies involved in the provision of care or support to children at risk; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31544/17]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, has responsibility for grant programmes covering Child Welfare and Protection, the School Completion Programme, and Family and Community Support, all of which provide supports for children and young people at risk. Grants are issued to service providers that work in conjunction with Tusla, as well as local school completion projects and voluntary organisations.

The total expenditure in grants paid by Tusla in 2016 came to €143.9m. This is a significant sum, and my Department supports the work of Tusla in providing these grants to community and service providers working with children at risk. Tusla will continue to support voluntary bodies that carry out this important work in 2017 and into the future.