141. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his views on the need to divest programmes under the auspices of his Department from organisations which are funded by the gambling industry.

Roderic O'Gorman, Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, administers the Family Resource Centre (FRC) Programme which provides funding support to 121 FRCs across the country. My Department allocates core funding for the FRC Programme and, since 2019, an additional €1.5m has been provided in funding, which has meant that yearly funding has amounted to €18m for this programme rising to over €20m post Covid.

I recognise and value the very positive impact of the work of the Family Resource Centres in supporting families and local communities.  The centres provide a holistic service of child, family and community support and advocacy to all children and families in their community. This universal accessibility allows for early identification of need, provision of appropriate interventions, and timely referrals to appropriate services for more intensive and targeted work as required.

I should inform the Deputy that the funding from my Department represents only a portion of the total funding available to Family Resource Centres nationally. As independent entities Family Resource Centres draw on various sources of funding provided by other Government Departments, Agencies and Trusts.

We are aware the Family Resource Centres National Forum manages a National Problem Gambling Support Service funded by the Gambling Awareness Trust. This service is provided through a number of FRCs and results in the provision of counselling programs for individuals and their families impacted by problematic gambling.

In due course the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland will be fully established and may go some way to addressing some of the concerns you highlight. One of their key functions is to develop safeguards to protect consumers from problem gambling, including establishment of a National Gambling Exclusion Register and a Social Impact Fund to finance research, training, and education on gambling addiction.