Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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78. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if support can be provided to a family resource centre (details supplied) in Killeshandra. [56881/22]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Thank you Deputy for your question, this is an area of interest for me, I have met with many representatives of Family Resource Centres across the country. The work they do is vital to so many families, vulnerable people and in many instances new arrivals to the country. Budget 2023 was a challenging budget with many competing priorities.

You may be aware Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, administers the Family Resource Centre Programme which provides funding support to 121 Family Resource Centres across the country. Tusla's financial support is provided by way of a contribution towards the running costs of the centres. Tusla does not provide capital funding to the Family Resource Centre programme.

The commissioning of Family Resource Centres is an operational matter for Tusla. Their area managers engage in the commissioning process and participate in meetings and discussions with community and voluntary agencies. Family Resource Centre funding is agreed annually through Service Level Agreements with Tusla’s commissioning team. Tusla continue to work hard in developing an effective, supportive, and efficient relationship with all Family Resource Centres.

Tusla annual funding to Family Resource Centres rose to €18m in 2019 to support the 121 Family Resource Centres. In 2020 and 2021, Tusla provided additional supports to FRCs and other funded community and voluntary partners to assist with pressures arising from Covid-19. In Budget 2022, additional funding of €6.0 million was allocated to enable Tusla increase supports to the wider community and voluntary sector and increase its supports to Family Resource Centres.

An additional €0.65 million was allocated to Family Resource Centres in 2021 from the Dormant Accounts programme. A further €1.0 million in Dormant Accounts funding is being provided to Family Resource Centres during 2022 similar additional funding at a similar scale will be provided in 2023 from my own Department.

Other Government bodies and State agencies also provide substantial funding to Family Resource Centres to deliver services on their behalf. Reports indicate in many instances that approximately half of total Family Resource Centre funding is provided from non-Tusla sources such as Local Authorities, Educational Training Boards, (ETBs), the HSE, Pobal and the Department of Social Protection.

Tusla continues to work with community-based family support organisations to best meet the needs of vulnerable children, families and communities.