Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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1151. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if a number of matters related to funding for a support centre (details supplied) will be examined. [46463/24]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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I can confirm to the Deputy that while Áiseanna na hÓige is not a member of the Family Resource Centre (FRC) Programme to which core funding applies however, I note that Áiseanna na hÓige has received funding from its local Tusla office to support the delivery of its services. Work is ongoing to calculate the precise level of funding provided to Áiseanna na hÓige per year since 2022 and this information will be shared with the Deputy shortly.

Delivery of services in Irish is not contingent on an organisation’s membership of the FRC Programme, and I understand that Áiseanna na hÓige provides services through Irish; that it has Irish speakers in Family Support Service and Youth work, that it provides parenting courses and Irish language courses when requested, and that an Irish Preschool/Naíonra service is available.

I secured an additional €800,000 in Budget 2025 for expansion of the FRC Programme. The commissioning of new FRCs is an operational matter for Tusla, which is responsible for the day-to-day administration of the FRC Programme. Organisations, such as Áiseanna na hÓige, that wish to join the FRC Programme may apply once the application process and criteria have been finalised over the coming weeks.