Tipperary TD Martin Browne is calling on the Government to provide a more stable stream of income for Family Resource Centres.
The Sinn Féin deputy told the Children’s Minister Roderic O’Gorman in the Dáil that managers at such centres are spending too much of their time applying for funding.
Minister O’Gorman accepted that there were some shortfalls, but said the variety of services offered by such facilities means that income streams must come from different Government departments.
Deputy Browne says the lack of steady funding is making life very difficult for workers and clients.
“I think we’ll all agree that the Family Resource Centres are a model for providing therapeutic and drop-in services but in some cases the funding is so scarce that these centres find themselves being unable to actually give assurances to some of the service users that the service they require will be there into the future.”
Children’s Minister Roderic O’Gorman accepted there may be funding issues, but says that the variety of services offered means there are an array of funding streams.
“I think it is important to remember that Family Resource Centres respond to the needs in their area so what you’ve identified in Cashel in terms of the needs of the local community may be different to the ones being provided in Mountview in my own area.”
“The specific functions and specific tasks that each Family Resource Centre engages in may be funded from a different area.”
