The budget is coming next week and the family resource centres provide very essential services at 136 locations. The family resource centres in Portlaoise and Mountmellick are doing excellent work that is making a real difference in local communities with services such as childcare, counselling, health and well-being programmes, adult learning, social inclusion and much more. They are right where it matters and I can see the evidence on the ground in towns like Portlaoise and Mountmellick.

The budget is next week and I appeal to the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance to ensure they are funded to continue doing that important work. Their core funding at the moment is €180,000 per year. They have three employees; some of them have four. That core funding needs a substantial uplift. Second, they need dedicated funding for the huge amount of counselling they are providing. Last year, they provided 64,700 counselling sessions for people. Some family resource centres, FRCs, are in need of capital funding. I know the Taoiseach has a lot of asks but I ask him to ensure these family resource centres have the funding to continue that important work into 2026 and 2027.

I thank the Deputy. He is on a very good topic.

It is a good day to do it.

The Minister, Deputy Foley, in particular, is a very strong supporter of family resource centres and last year, she secured funding for the establishment of ten new family resource centres. I agree with the Deputy that family resource centres play a very significant role in communities across the country. I am a strong advocate for them and I know the Minister is as well. I hope she will be successful in securing some funding for them in the budget.