Family Resource Centres
Dail Éireann — 2026-05-21
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Frankie Feighan (FG), Sligo-Leitrim

I thank Deputy O'Donoghue for raising this important issue and for offering the Minister the opportunity to respond. As the Deputy outlined, when families are stronger, they works very well. I have full confidence in and great time for the family resource centres. When I started out in politics many years ago, they were known as family life centres. I remember as a councillor, before I became a Senator in 2002, issues came to my attention in my office that maybe I did not have the skills to deal with. It was wonderful to be able to ring the family resource centre and ask for assistance. At all times that assistance was brilliant. It was confidential and it was very helpful. I am one who believes in the family resource centres.
Budget 2027 negotiations have not yet commenced and it is expected that, as in previous years, the Department will work to secure a level of funding that will ensure the continuation of established services, with potentially some scope also to develop services that respond to emerging needs and increased demands, as the Deputy referenced. The family resource centre network is an increasingly important component in how issues that arise across the entire age spectrum - from early years to old age - are responded to. The Minister is very committed to the programme, and cognisant of the benefits that family resource centres bring to their communities.
Following on from core funding increases and the expansion of the family resource centre programme in 2026, made possible through budget 2026 funding, the Minister has indicated that she will continue to pursue the expansion of the family resource centre programme through the 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. Improvements to core funding for family resource centres will also remain under consideration.
Any positive developments for the family resource centre programme that come out of the budget 2027 negotiations will build on achievements in the programme over the past number of years. This includes the expansion of the family resource centre programme in 2026, from 126 to 136 members. This followed expansion of the programme in 2025, from 121 members to 126 members. There was an increase in the minimum core funding level for family resource centres from €160,000 to €180,000 from January 2026, also secured as part of budget 2026. The core funding increase benefitted approximately 100 family resource centres around the country. Funding was secured for counselling providers, many of which are family resource centres, offering counselling and therapeutic services at no to low-cost for the communities they serve.
In addition to Tusla’s family support services counselling funding, in 2025 30 family resource centres were allocated €292,500 from a total allocation of €1.5 million in additional funding. That benefitted a total of 73 community and voluntary organisations delivering essential counselling and therapeutic supports to children and families. This funding, which was formerly allocated under the Dormant Accounts Fund was provided to family resource centres to allow them to continue their important work of providing counselling and therapeutic services to children and young people in the community. The funding helps to address unmet need and reduce waiting lists for community-based counselling services.
In relation to capital funding for refurbishment, extension or construction of family resource centre buildings, I wish to inform the Deputy that neither the Department nor Tusla currently has capital funding to support the purchase or building of new facilities, or the refurbishment or extension of existing family resource centres.
Tusla does not have a dedicated budget for capital or building works for third party organisations, such as family resource centres.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-05-21/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:58+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-05-21