Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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1133. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the family resource centres funded by her Department; the number of full-time equivalent staff in each centre; and the level of core funding for their activities, in tabular form. [46862/17]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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There are 109 Family Resource Centres 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 financial allocation to support this programme amounts to €13.51m in 2017. I was pleased to announce recently that additional funding of approximately €5.0m is being allocated to existing centres and to support the expansion of the programme with the inclusion of an additional 11 centres next year.

In relation to the additional data which the Deputy has requested, I have asked Tusla to provide the information requested directly to the Deputy.

Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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1134. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the increase in funding allocated for resource centres for 2018; the number of new family resource centres that she expects to fund with this allocation; the number of core full-time equivalent staff that will be allocated to these new centres; and the core funding allocation expected to be made to each of these new centres. [46863/17]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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I am pleased to inform the Deputy that additional funding of approximately €5.0m is being made available to Tusla, the Child and Family Agency to be spent between now and the end of 2018 to support the work of Family Resource Centres.

This includes the provision of additional funding to Tusla to expand the existing Family Resource Centre Programme. A total of 11 centres will be added to the Family Resource Centre Programme in 2018. Details of the application process for this funding is available on Tusla's website, www.tusla.ie.

Tusla is also being provided with additional funding in 2018 to support the existing 109 Family Resource Centres across the country. Centres will be asked to work with their local Tusla office to identify services needed in their community. Up to €10,000 will be available to each Family Resource Centre next year subject to approval of their proposal.

I am also pleased to announce that my Department is providing exceptional, once-off funding for Family Resource Centres to be spent by the end of this year. This funding will be in the form of minor capital assistance. Details of the application process for this funding is available on Tusla's website, www.tusla.ie. Applications will be assessed by Tusla and the deadline for applications is Thursday, 9th November 2017.

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 administers the Family Resource Centre Programme. As the Family Resource Centre Programme is managed by Tusla, it is a matter for that organisation to make decisions regarding the individual funding allocations of Family Resource Centres within the programme.

I am pleased to be in a position to support the work of centres through the targeting of additional resources to services that will impact positively on vulnerable children and families.