'Huge increase' in middle-class families seeking support

RONAN McGREEVY

THERE HAS been a “huge increase” in middle-class families seeking help from Family Resource Centres (FRC) because of the downturn, an Oireachtas committee heard yesterday.

There are 107 centres around the country, originally set up to help families on low incomes. They provide childcare, educational courses, counselling and advice to thousands of families.

The Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes, recommended that the Family Support Agency, which funds the centres, be closed down at a potential saving of €30 million per annum.

FRC National Forum chairman Packie Kelly said the centres provided “excellent value” and were in demand.

He told the Oireachtas Committee on Social and Family Affairs that the centres were seeing many families coming in with financial difficulties who they would not have seen five years ago.

Mr Kelly urged Minister for Social and Family Affairs Mary Hanafin not to do anything rash in relation to the centres, but said the forum had had a “positive” meeting with her in September.

He said the centres were open to proposals that could save the State money in areas such as drug addiction and one-parent family programmes which target fathers to engage with their children regularly.