I propose to take Questions Nos. 5 and 15 together.
The establishment of adequate facilities to assist in alleviating the difficulties and traumas of couples who are experiencing difficulties in their marriage, has always been a concern of mine. On my appointment as Minister for Equality and Law Reform I was determined to give practical effect to that concern. Accordingly, I accorded permanent status to the family mediation service which, since its establishment in 1986, had operated on a pilot basis with no certainty of permanence. Also, I instituted a scheme of grants for voluntary organisations which provide counselling to couples who are experiencing difficulties in their marriage.
My Department commenced funding marriage counselling organisations in 1994. Prior to then grants to these organisations were administered by the Department of Health and from time to time supplementary grants were paid by the Department of Social Welfare. In 1993, for example, approximately £300,000 was allocated by these Departments to voluntary counselling groups. In 1994 and again in 1995 my Department paid out £750,000 in grants to such groups and £900,000 is available for distribution in 1996. Also, the scheme has been extended this year to include the provision of assistance to organisations providing counselling to children of parents who had separated.
Significant tangible benefits have accrued from the scheme of grants to counselling organisations. Premises and facilities have been improved as has training for counsellors and supervisors. The total number of counselling hours provided by grantaided organisations has increased from 44,166 hours in 1993 to 69,703 hours in 1995. There has also been a very significant increase in pre-marriage courses over the years. The provision of significant and regular funding will facilitate further improvements in the provision of counselling services to couples and children.
The family mediation service operated by my Department is a professional confidential service which enables couples, who have decided to separate or who have already separated, to negotiate their own separation agreement with the help of a trained mediator, without resorting to adjudication through the courts. All issues are included in the negotiations, such as ongoing parenting of the children, the family home, family finances. pensions property and any other relevant issues relevant to the separation.
As part of a programme for development and expansion of the family mediation service, two new posts of area mediation co-ordinator have been created, one for the existing family mediation service centre at the Irish Life Mall, Lower Abbey Street, Dublin and one for the new centre at Mill House, Henry Street, Limerick. Competitions to select suitable people for these positions have been held under the auspices of the Civil Service Commission and appointments are imminent. The persons appointed will be responsible for the delivery of a quality mediation service, with the assistance of a team of mediators. each for his or her own geographical areas of responsibility.
The appointment of area mediation co-ordinators will facilitate the establishment of a scheme for the use of mediators in private practice, who have the necessary training and experience and otherwise meet the standards set by the family mediation service, to provide family mediation at locations distant from a family mediation centre or to relieve the pressure on the centres at Dublin and Limerick. The allocation of cases to private mediators would be done through the family mediation service.
Deputies can rest assured that I will continue in my endeavours to ensure that quality counselling and mediation services are available for the future and that adequate funding is made available to this end.