James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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613. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if funding will be made available to family resource centres that require capital for infrastructural improvements. [42806/17]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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There are over 100 Family Resource Centres (FRCs) currently in receipt of funding from Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. Tusla provides funding to the centres under an annual Agreement. This funding is provided by way of a contribution towards the running costs of the centres. The 2017 Tusla allocation to FRCs is €13.512m.

FRCs, funded by Tusla, provide a range of universal and targeted services and development opportunities that address the needs of vulnerable children and families. In seeking to improve outcomes and wellbeing for children and young people, Tusla must ensure that it makes the most efficient use of its resources in a way that is efficient, equitable, proportionate and sustainable.

While Tusla annual funding seeks to assist Centres in their day-to-day activities, additional once off funding of €1.422m was provided to Family Resource Centres in 2016 in order to assist in the upgrade of equipment and infrastructure.

The precise details of funding available to Family Resource Centres next year will be considered by Tusla in developing its 2018 Business Plan, based on the Performance Statement, which I as Minister for Children and Youth Affairs will issue later this year.