Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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196. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the funding available for family resource centres (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39367/24]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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I am pleased to inform the Deputy that I secured an additional €800,000 in Budget 2025 for the Family Resource Centre (FRC) Programme. I expect this additional funding will allow for expansion of the FRC Programme membership from 121 members to 126 members, an increase in 5 FRCs across the country.

This is in addition to the funding equalisation scheme for existing FRCs that I announced in April this year. Under the funding equalisation scheme, the FRC Programme received additional core funding in 2024, resulting in all FRCs receiving at least €160,000 in core funding from 2025 onwards. This funding will support the pivotal role FRCs play in so many communities across the country by providing a comprehensive range of services tailored to individual community needs. Of course, in addition to core funding, FRCs draw on various sources of funding provided by other Government Departments, agencies and private sources.

My Department allocates core funding for the FRC Programme through Tusla, and Tusla administers the FRC Programme which supports the existing FRCs throughout the country. The additional core funding will be allocated to Tusla to administer.