661. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if funding is available in her Department to fund the renovation of family resource centres, where a building has been identified to expand the service in a town (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51433/26]

I wish to inform the Deputy that neither the Department nor Tusla currently have capital funding to support infrastructure proposals for Family Resource Centres. This applies to the construction of new centres, the refurbishment or extension of existing centres, the renovation of vacant or derelict buildings, and co-location projects with capital implications.

I wish to highlight that the Family Resource Centre Programme is a community development programme that is financially supported by many State agencies in a partnership approach. Centres may draw on various sources of funding provided by other Government Departments, State agencies and private sources. This approach allows centres to further embed themselves in their communities by meeting the specific needs identified within those communities. This is a flexibility that all FRCs are encouraged to leverage, to reflect the diverse range of potential funders for services an FRC may provide, beyond services to children and families.

I am aware that premises can become available to FRCs through various means, for example where a Local City or County Council offers a vacant property to an FRC. In this context the Local Authorities may be of assistance in terms of capital works.