Child and Family Agengy, Tusla will receive an additional €40.6 million in 2018, bringing their annual funding to over €750 million.
The Budget 2018 allocation will enable Tusla to respond to increased demands on the agency,
progress key service developments and expand the provision of community based supports.
Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Dr Katherine Zappone, said: “I have travelled throughout the country listening to frontline care and social workers, young people and parents. The increases in Budget 2018 are a direct result of their experiences.”
The Minister has said she is very happy with the budget allocation to her department and said, “I am also particularly proud to be the Minister which has brought the Tusla budget to over €750 million for the first time.”
Commenting on the Budget 2018 allocation, Jim Gibson, Chief Operations Officer, Tusla, said the
additional €40.6 million in funding will assist the agency in development.
“The increase will further support preparations for the introduction of mandatory reporting, the
establishment of a single, national out-of- hours social work service and will allow for the
establishment of 11 new Family Resource Centres at a cost of €1.76 million,” he said.
An additional €20 million has been allocated to childcare in yesterday’s budget including, from
September 2018, further development of the extended free Pre-School programme.
“Approximately 20,000 three and four-year- olds will benefit from additional free childcare,” the
Children’s Minister said.
A universal childcare payment introduced in 2017 for the under 3s and increased rates in targeted
childcare subvention schemes, will continue to be supported in 2018 in advance of the introduction
of the Single Affordable Childcare Scheme it was announced.