Vol. 427 No. 4
15 Ms F. Fitzgerald asked the Minister for Equality and Law Reform the plans, if any, he has to develop the Family Mediation Service on a nationwide basis and to ensure that the service is adequately funded to operate effectively.
35 Mr. Flanagan asked the Minister for Equality and Law Reform the proposals, if any, he has to put the Family Mediation Service on a permanent funding basis and open additional mediation centres.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 15 and 35 together.
One of the priorities high on my list is the establishment of a review committee, with detailed terms of reference, to report on the whole area of mediation. Any decision on the future of the family mediation service will be considered in the context of the recommendations of that committee. It is my intention that any review, while thorough, should not be protracted unduly and that its conclusions should be available to me within a reasonable timescale.
I have arranged to meet the committee and staff of the service within the next week to discuss with them the possibilities for improving the already good service they provide.
