Colm Burke (Cork North-Central, Fine Gael)
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1521. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will consider granting inclusion for a centre (details supplied) in the Family Resource Centre Programme funding which was announced in Budget 2026 for ten additional family resource centres, in view of the fact there is no family resource centre in the northern side of Cork City; if she is aware that no centre in Cork was included under the most recent round of applications, and also taking into consideration the work that this group is doing; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58678/25]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I wish to inform the Deputy that neither myself nor the Department have involvement in the assessment process for new members of the Family Resource Centre Programme. The commissioning of new Family Resource Centres is an operational matter for Tusla, which is responsible for the day-to-day administration of the Family Resource Centre Programme. Therefore, I cannot prioritise any application.

In relation to the expansion of the Family Resource Centre Programme, a comprehensive national application and assessment process was undertaken earlier this year, which was led by Tusla and independently chaired by a representative of the University of Limerick. All applications were reviewed and scored against the clearly defined and published criteria including population need, level of deprivation, child population data, existing service provision and existing service gaps. This process was outlined in the Tusla outcome letter that issued to all unsuccessful applicants, following the announcement of five new Programme members by press release on 29th August 2025. This letter informed services that their application will remain under active consideration should additional funding be secured for further expansion of the Family Resource Centre Programme in 2026.

I am aware that no centre in Cork was included in the most recent announcement of five new Family Resource Centre Programme members.

The securing of additional funding in Budget 2026 will allow Tusla to increase Programme membership to 136 members, which is a very welcome development for an additional ten communities in need of the comprehensive range of services offered by Family Resource Centres. I expect Tusla to be in a position in the near future to confirm the locations of the additional Family Resource Centres, on the basis of need determined by the published criteria.