John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

667. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will review the funding provided through Tusla for family resource centres (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39661/17]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

There are over 100 Family Resource Centres currently in receipt of funding from Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. Tusla provides funding to the centres under an annual Service Level Agreement. This funding is provided by way of a contribution towards the running costs of the centres. The 2017 Tusla allocation to Family Resource Centres is €13.512m.

Family Resource Centres are independent organisations. They are managed by a Voluntary Board of Management which is representative of the local community. The centres operate independently of Tusla and each individual centre is responsible for the recruitment of employees and the terms and conditions under which they are employed.

Tusla fully appreciates the role that Family Resource Centres play in offering early intervention support to families in difficulty.

As previously highlighted to the Deputy, it is not possible at this stage to advise on what level of funding will be made available by Tusla to Family Resource Centres in 2018. This issue will be clarified in the context of the annual Estimates process and having regard to the overall level of funding available to Tusla in 2018.