Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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228. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if recognition and funding will be considered for a centre (details supplied) in County Kildare. [10460/18]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, administers the Family Resource Centre Programme. As part of Budget 2018, I was pleased to announce that additional funding of approximately €3.0m is being allocated to Family Resource Centres. This funding will provide an increased allocation to existing centres, and will support the expansion of the programme, with the inclusion of an additional 11 centres in 2018.

In addition to the resources provided in Budget 2018, over €2.0m in once-off extraordinary funding was allocated to existing centres for investment in small works in December 2017.

Tusla has advised that it has received a total of 43 applications for inclusion in the Family Resource Centre Programme from community organisations, including the organisation referred to by the Deputy. Tusla is currently assessing all applications. Applicants will be notified of the outcome of the assessment early this month.

I highly value the work of Family Resource Centres across the country. Tusla is committed to using all available resources for children and families in the most efficient, equitable, proportionate and sustainable way.