Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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670. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the progress that has been made to date regarding the provision of a community centre for young people at Tullow Road in Carlow; the engagement his Department has had with Carlow local authority on this project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24340/23]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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I was pleased to have the opportunity to meet with the Deputy earlier this year to discuss this matter.

As the Deputy will be aware, the organisation which is due to be the main tenant of this facility is Carlow Regional Youth Services, which receives €128,726 in annual funding from Tusla to provide a range of services to children and young people in Carlow and its environs. They also receive funding from my Department to various youth projects under UBU Your Place Your Space, a single youth funding scheme that targets disadvantaged young people with evidence informed interventions and services that will secure good outcomes.

I understand that the proposed facility would not be part of Tusla's Family Resource Centre programme. Organisations that wish to join the Family Resource Centre Programme are advised to contact Tusla in the first instance, with regard to the potential next steps. I understand that currently, there are currently no plans to expand the Family Resource Centre Programme or to establish new funding schemes for the Programme.

Tusla does not provide capital funding for projects such as this. In light of the good work already done by the hub and Carlow County Council, further capital funding may be available through the Capital Assistance Scheme administered through local authorities on behalf of the Department of Housing.