Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 May 2026
1002. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the funding streams available to support the establishment of a new Family Resource Centre, including capital and operational supports; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35289/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra1006. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the criteria used by Tusla and her Department when considering proposals for new family resource centres, including whether population growth, rural isolation, transport accessibility, deprivation indicators and family support demand are considered; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35294/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra1007. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether there are plans to expand the family resource centre programme during 2026 and 2027; the number of additional centres envisaged nationally; if towns such as Birr may be considered under any future expansion process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35295/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra1008. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will request that Tusla engage with Offaly County Council, local community organisations and public representatives regarding the feasibility of establishing a family resource centre in Birr; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35296/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 1002, 1006, 1007 and 1008 together.
I wish to inform the Deputy that 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.
Exchequer funding, provided to the Department and allocated to Tusla, covers core funding for Family Resource Centres. The Budget 2026 negotiations secured additional funding which enabled core funding increases to a new base level of €180,000, up from the previous €160,000. Those same negotiations also allowed for expansion of Programme membership.
The most recent expansions of the Family Resource Centre Programme, comprising five new members in 2025 and ten in 2026, followed a comprehensive national application and assessment process undertaken in 2025. This 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. Decisions on the successful services were made by the assessment panel.
A total of forty-nine organisations applied for membership of the Family Resource Centre Programme, following an open call from Tusla for applications to join the Programme. This indicates the strong level of interest in communities around the country in having Family Resource Centres as part of their community infrastructure. I understand that Tusla was very impressed with the level of interest in joining the FRC Programme, and with the quality of the applications received. Regretfully, funding only allowed for fifteen new members to be selected, leaving thirty-four applications unsuccessful. I want to thank those organisations for their interest in joining the Programme, and for the important work they continue to do in their communities.
I can inform the Deputy that the following were the specific criteria set out as part of the Tusla application process:
• Willingness to engage with Tusla on funding for children and family support services.
• It is desirable for a Board of Management to be in place (as opposed to a partnership company). Where a Board of Management is not in place, successful organisations will be timebound to form their own Board of Management with the capacity to develop services.
• Have existing facilities suitable to deliver the programme.
• Demonstrate the ability to deliver outcomes driven service based on evidence based or evidence informed delivery model.
• The absence of a sustainable alternative service providing a range of services similar to those provided by existing FRCs.
• CYPSC Plan and/or Tusla Area Commissioning Plan will be considered where in place.
• Evidence of a large population or socio-economically disadvantaged population currently without a sufficient service to meet needs.
• Evidence of a lack of locally available services to provide a range of children and family supports reflective of the local community.
These criteria were published on the Tusla website when the application process was launched, and all organisations interested in applying to join the Family Resource Centre Programme would have been aware of these criteria.
Unfortunately, there is currently no additional funding available to further expand the Family Resource Centre (FRC) Programme in 2026. I will continue to pursue the expansion of the FRC Programme through the forthcoming 2027 budgetary process and in line with the Programme for Government commitment to work to increase funding and expand the capacity and network of Family Resource Centres. If successful in securing funds for future expansion of the FRC Programme, a new call for applications will be launched to ensure all existing and newly interested locations can apply.
I note the Deputy’s request that Tusla engage with Offaly County Council, local community organisations and public representatives regarding the feasibility of establishing a Family Resource Centre in Birr, and Department officials will share this request with Tusla.
Finally, in relation to capital funding supports, neither the Department nor Tusla currently have capital funding to support FRC infrastructure proposals, including refurbishing vacant or derelict buildings. Tusla does not have a dedicated budget for capital or building works for third party organisations.
