Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 18 Dec 1996

Vol. 473 No. 2

Priority Questions. - Counselling and Mediation Services.

Michael Woods

Question:

4 Dr. Woods asked the Minister for Equality and Law Reform the plans, if any, he has to increase the resources available for counselling and mediation in cases of marriage breakdown, separation and divorce, in view of the Government's stated commitment to encourage the use of these devices and in view of the introduction of divorce and the urgent recommendations of the Commission on the Family for an increase in these services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24661/96]

Minister for Equality and Law Reform (Mr. Taylor)

As Minister responsible for the reform of family law I am conscious of the support for marriage given by voluntary organisations involved in marriage counselling over many years and of the great debt of gratitude we owe them for their perseverance with work in this and allied areas when official support of a practical nature was limited.

Because of this I was determined, when appointed Minister for Equality and Law Reform, to endeavour to enhance the support available to these voluntary organisations and also to the State-funded Family Mediation Service in order that they would be able to continue to provide a quality professional service to their customers. Accordingly, in 1994 I was successful in obtaining funding for a scheme of grants for voluntary organisations providing marriage guidance and counselling services. A sum of £750,000 was made available to these organisations in 1994 through my Department and again in 1995.

Prior to 1994 grants to these organisations were administered by the Department of Health and supplementary grants were paid by the Department of Social Welfare in respect of some organisations. The amounts paid out in individual grants were relatively small and had remained virtually static over recent years. In 1996 funding was increased to £900,000, the scheme was extended to include organisations providing counselling for children whose parents had already separated and 75 marriage and child counselling organisations nationwide benefited accordingly. In the Estimates for 1997 I have again obtained £900,000 for this purpose.

The State Family Mediation Service is the only mediation service funded by my Department. In 1995 £260,000 was expended by my Department in the operation of the Family Mediation Service and I obtained funding of £300,000 to finance its operations in 1996 and again in 1997. My development plan for the service is currently being implemented. This involves the expansion of the Dublin Family Mediation Centre by the addition of an area mediation co-ordinator and the establishment of a new centre in Limerick which will be staffed by an area mediation co-ordinator and a part-time mediator. The appointment of the area mediation co-ordinator for Limerick has been made and work is in progress on the appointment of a person to the post at the Dublin centre. It is my intention that the service will soon set in train the procedures necessary for the recruitment of additional mediators. I would expect that in time this will lead to the services of the Family Mediation Service being within reach of people regardless of where they live.

The Government is committed to supporting marriage and as Minister for Equality and Law Reform I have endeavoured, through the legislates ive programme I initiated in my Department, to achieve this. Placing the funding of voluntary organisations providing marriage and child counselling services on a sounder footing as well as taking steps to develop the Family Mediation Service is further evidence of my and the Government's earnest in this regard.

I received with great interest the Interim Report of the Commission on the Family and in particular the recommendations contained therein regarding counselling and mediation. Many of these issues are already being attended to by my Department. For example, a list of voluntary marriage and child counselling organisations will be published in a booklet on the services operated or funded by my Department which impact on families. In addition, the implementation of the development plan for the Family Mediation Service is a significant step towards establishing a soundly based National Family Mediation Service.

Dr. Woods

I join the Minister in congratulating the many voluntary organisations and volunteers working in this area. The question relates particularly to the resources needed in 1997. The Minister gave a recitation of what happened in the past, but the Book of Estimates for the public Service, Vote 33 — Equality and Law Reform — shows that the figure provided for the Family Mediation Service in 1996 was £300,000 and the figure for 1997 is also £300,000. The amount provided for marriage and children's counselling services in 1996 was £900,000 and the amount provided for 1997 is also £900,000.

An Ceann Comhairle

I want to help the Deputy but I must dissuade him from quoting at Question Time.

Dr. Woods

The Government proposes no increase for 1997. That is bitterly disappointing for those involved in that area who expect, with the introduction of the divorce legislation early in 1997, there will be increased need for mediation and counselling services. However, the Government is making no extra provision. Can the Minister explain how, in the absence of extra funds, those services are supposed to meet the extra demand which he acknowledged would exist in 1997?

Mr. Taylor

I am sorry Deputy Woods is disappointed but there is no need because the organisations are happy with the remarkable expansion and progress they have achieved in the past few years. The Deputy would be well advised to remember the bad old days before 1993, when some of these organisations existed on ad hoc, casual, small, uncertain handouts from the Department of Health and the Department of Social Welfare. Contrast that to the status, position and secure funding I have provided to those organisations since I became Minister for Equality and Law Reform. The funding started at £750,000 and has risen to £900,000, far higher than the total amount of ad hoc grants given in former years by the Departments which then had responsibility for them. Significant, tangible benefits have accrued from the scheme of grants I introduced. Premises and facilities have been improved, training for counsellors and supervisors have been extended. I am aware that, as a result of these funds, members of many of these groups are exhibiting a new enthusiasm for marriage counselling. Many others have initiated new projects or have been enabled to move to premises which are much more suitable for their work. An appreciable number of new groups has been established and others which were experiencing financial difficulties as a result of past restrictions are enjoying a new lease of life. Many communities which had not previously enjoyed the benefits of having a local marriage counselling group in their area now have that experience. All this follows from the huge increase in funding I have made available to them and I assure Deputy Woods they are happy about that.

Dr. Woods

The question relates to the urgent need for additional resources as we go into 1997 and the recommendation of the Commission on the Family for an increase in these services. This Government commission reported in late November, a matter of weeks ago. It stated there was a significant role for the promotion of greater use of early counselling and mediation.

I congratulate the Minister on what has been done. As he knows, I began some of that work when I was in the Department of Social Welfare. It was not specifically our area but we were dealing with some voluntary organisations. I was happy when the Minister took responsibility for that area and had the opportunity to develop it. However, we are facing into another year and have received the studied, careful, interim report of the Commission on the Family, which states there is a need for extra resources in both these areas. We know there will be a huge increase in demand because divorce is being introduced in the new year, yet the Government is providing no extra funds, although the Taoiseach promised they would be granted. I want to assist the Minister by creating as much fuss as possible about this, as there is still some hope that the Government will give him extra funds at budget time to cater for the obvious demand.

Mr. Taylor

I am pleased the Deputy is anxious to assist in this matter as there is a way in which he could do so — by asking his colleague, the Fianna Fáil spokesman on Finance, Deputy McCreevy, to cease describing expenditure of this nature as a frittering away of Government funds. I am also pleased Deputy Woods acknowledged that these important social expenditures are necessary. That is why the Government is making these substantial allocations, far higher than provided in previous years, which have enabled 75 marriage guidance and counselling organisations nationwide to receive funding. I can provide any Member who is interested with a list of organisations which received funding. As a result of the allocations of £900,000 for this year and the same amount next year, they are geared up to make provision for this most important area of social work. This is the type of social expenditure to which this Government is committed and which it will continue to undertake in the future as it has in the past.

Dr. Woods

There may be wastefulness and spendthrift behaviour in some Departments and good management in others. I think the Minister will manage his money fairly well but the problem is that the Government as a whole is not doing so. I support him in gaining extra money for his area.