I thank the Minister of State for coming in. The programme to develop family resource centres is very welcome, as is the increase in core funding for the various resource centres across the country. They do immense work.

In 2025, Ringsend and Irishtown Community Centre applied to be designated a family resource centre, and submitted a very strong application. It was unsuccessful at the time, but was told that its application will remain under active consideration should further funding be secured. Ringsend and Irishtown Community Centre does everything that a family resource centre does. It has an incredible multiplicity of projects and services. The doors are open to everyone in the community, and it provides extensive education and training for everybody in the community and anybody else who asks. The community centre offers practical assistance to individuals and groups at whatever stage in life they are at, all the way from young children to older members of the community and even those with dementia. Because other funders have changed the models they work with, the community centre has found itself with a funding shortfall, and being redesignated a family resource centre would make the world of difference. This is the result of vital special funding for the after-school and breakfast club being pulled without notice, and the increase in staffing costs ever body faces these days. Securing core funding is an urgent requirement for the community centre to continue providing key services like breakfast and after-school programmes, and operating normal services and activities into the near future.

The Ringsend community centre is already a family resource centre in all but name. The community centre is a truly warm, welcoming and caring space that works for everybody. I ask that if there is more money available to fund family resource centres, the Minister of State be aware of the amazing work it does, and consider funding for designation of the community centre as a family resource centre. This funding model would be vital for the sustainability of the community centre, and I urge it be given real consideration for inclusion in this programme in 2026. I would be grateful if the Minister of State would indicate if it is anticipated that this programme will be expanded to include the likes of Ringsend and Irishtown Community Centre because the centre is a vital part of social infrastructure in Ringsend. It is warm and welcoming and the number of volunteers it has is incredible. The variety of projects is incredible. It hosts groups, from after-school clubs to a project for people with dementia, which is proving to be really successful. The centre's staff are innovative and professional and again, with that professionalism, they are also warm and welcoming. In the future, with the development of the glass bottle site, there are going to be 3,500 new homes and up to 10,000 new residents coming in to that area. A community centre and a family resource centre will be even more vital to the area to ensure that the community has the services it will need over the coming years. I ask that consideration be given to Ringsend and Irishtown Community Centre to be designated a family resource centre.

I thank the Senator for raising this important issue and giving me an opportunity to respond on behalf of the Minister. The forthcoming expansion of the family resource centre programme is the latest in a number of very positive developments for the programme over the past few years. There is a programme for a Government commitment to work to increase funding and expand the capacity and network of family resource centres. Budget 2026 honours the commitment, with funding secured for a further ten family resource centres. This will bring the family resource centre programme membership up to 136. While I cannot comment on any specific organisation, I understand that these ten additional family resource centres are due to be announced in the very near future. The expansion follows the increase in the membership of the programme in 2025 by five members, where funding was secured as part of budget 2025 measures. This was the first such expansion since 2018. A further equalisation scheme for the family resource centre programme was initiated by the Department in 2024. The scheme ensured that all family resource centre programme members received minimum core funding of at least €160,000 from 2025 onwards. In addition to budget 2026 measures providing for ten additional members, the measures have also enabled an increase in the minimum core funding for all programme members to €180,000 from 2026 onwards.

The ten new members of the family resource centre programme will also receive this core funding component. It is important to note that many of the Tusla-funded family support counselling services providers are family resource centres. The centres offer valuable counselling and therapeutic services at no to low cost in their communities. Many family resource centres also benefit from additional funding that has been secured by the Department over the last few years, which was formally allocated as part of the dormant funds. This funding is for counselling, psychotherapy and therapeutic services for children and young people. It helps to address unmet need and reduce waiting lists for community-based counselling services.

A comprehensive national application and assessment process was undertaken to determine the new family resource centre programme members. This process was led by Tusla and independently chaired by a representative at the University of Limerick. All applications were reviewed and scored against clearly defined and published criteria. The process was outlined in the Tusla outcome letters that issued to all applicants. A total of 49 applications were received, demonstrating that there is a strong interest in the programme membership from a wide range of community-based organisations.

The benefits of community-based services such as family resource centres cannot be overstated. The Senator clearly made that case himself in his own contribution. Many of us will witness at first hand the impacts that the resource centres have on communities that they serve. They engage with vulnerable families and offer services to individuals across the whole life cycle from early years to senior citizens. Crucially, they foster a positive and inclusive community spirit. The range of services they provide can be extensive and determined by the needs of the relevant communities they serve. It is particularly important to note that many services are delivered at that point at no cost or very low cost to families who would otherwise not be able to avail of them.

I thank the Minister of State. We all agree that the family resource centre model is fantastic. For the Ringsend and Irishtown Community Centre, it would secure the centre's footprint in the community. It would allow and enable the centre to develop and expand services to meet the needs of a community that is developing and will develop over the next ten years. The Ringsend and Irishtown Community Centre is an important hub. It has a youth group as well, namely, the RICCYS youth centre. It has multiple schemes and projects and is welcoming to everybody. I request that the Minister of State go down and have a look to see for himself what a fantastic project it is. It is vital. The centre has challenges, like every community project across the country. Being designated and getting that core funding would make a huge difference to the community centre in Ringsend and to the people of Ringsend. I ask that this be considered.

The Senator made the point very elegantly about the benefits it would bring to a community. I reaffirm on behalf of the Minister of State, Deputy Higgins, her absolute commitment in terms of providing supports in this area. An announcement is coming soon in relation to the new centres, which was part of the independent process of evaluation of all applicants. I wish all of the people the best of luck in that announcement process.

Before we hear our next matter, we have some special guests whom I welcome to our Distinguished Visitors Gallery. They are guests of Deputy Mark Ward. I believe they are visiting from the St. John of God Community Services Centre. It does incredible work. I hope they enjoy their visit to Seanad Éireann and Leinster House today. I thank everybody for the remarkable work that they carry out.