Michael Bell
Question:97 Mr. Bell asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the progress made to date in implementing the report of the Commission on the Family; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2596/99]
Written Answers - Commission on the Family.
Emmet Stagg
Question:112 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the work which has been undertaken in his Department to implement the recommendations of the report from the Commission on the Family; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2618/99]
Róisín Shortall
Question:118 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the status of the final report of the Commission on the Family; if the report has been adopted by Government; if so, the timescale he is recommending for the full implementation of its recommendations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2611/99]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 97, 112 and 118 together.
The final report of the Commission on the Family "Strengthening Families for Life" was published by the Government in July 1998
The Government is committed to adopting a "families first" approach by putting the family at the centre of all its policies. In line with this pro-family approach as set out in the programme for Government – An Action Programme for the Millennium and in response to the recommendations of the commission, the Government established the Family Affairs Unit in my Department. The Family Affairs Unit has a specific function to pursue the findings in the commission report following their consideration by the Government. The unit also has responsibility for the co-ordination of family policy and for the development of a number of services for families in line with the Government programme.
This year £6.5 million has been allocated specifically for the development of these family services, compared to £1.5 million in 1997, i.e., an increase of £5 million. This includes £21 million for marriage and child counselling. It is expected that over 250 groups providing these services will receive grants this year. I have broadened the programme to include voluntary organisations providing marriage preparation programmes and those providing bereavement counselling and support services. An allocation of £60,000 is being made this year to rainbows programmes which provide a very special type of support to children who experience the loss of a parent, through death or separation.
It includes an extra £200,000 for the continued development of the family mediation service. The framework for the nationwide service as promised in An Action Programme for the Millennium is now in place. The family mediation service is now providing services from regional centres in Cork, Tralee, Wexford, Athlone, Dundalk and Galway in addition to those in Dublin and Limerick.
It also includes an extra £1 million for the family and community services resource centre programme which will allow an additional 15 to 20 centres to be initiated in 1999. By the end of this year some 50 centres will be funded under the programme, under which ten centres were being funded at the beginning of 1998.
Greater investment in the marriage counselling services and an expansion of the family mediation service were key recommendations of the Commission on the Family in their consideration for what needs to be done to prevent marital breakdown and to support the ongoing parenting relationships which are so important for children if their parents separate. Enhancement of the family and community services resources centre programme was also recommended by the commission.
Resources have been allocated for the development of a number of initiatives by the Family Affairs Unit in 1999 including undertaking research, a pilot programme in relation to the local offices of the Department building on the one stop shop concept with the aim of providing improved support at local level to families and the introduction of a parenting programme on parenting issues. The commission in its report made recommendations in relation to the development of these important services for families.
The 1999 budget provides very significant resources for improvements for pensioners – some £136 million, full year cost, carers – some £18 million, full year cost and child benefit, some £40.7 million, full year cost.
Improvements in these areas, which were prioritised in the programme for Government, together with improvements in the family income supplement and in employment support measures for long-term unemployed people address areas highlighted by the commission in its report.
In addition to the recommendations of direct relevance to my own Department, there are substantial recommendations in relation to the Departments of Education and Science, Health and Children and Justice, Equality and Law Reform. These departments were represented on the commission.
My colleagues in Government are progressing a number of significant policy issues in their own areas of responsibility in line with the Government's pro-families approach. The Minister for Education and Science has a number of initiatives under way in relation to early education, investment at primary level in schools and in tackling educational disadvantage. Progress has been made in relation to the introduction of parental leave and investment in childcare projects in disadvantaged communities.
In the Dáil report of 30 September 1998 my colleagues have set out the initiatives taken within their own areas of responsibility in relation to the findings of the Commission on the Family. In carrying out its responsibilities to co-ordinate family policy developments and to pursue the findings of the Commission on the Family, the family affairs unit is working closely with other Departments which are affected by the Commission's recommendations.
I have also taken steps to ensure that the commission's report is discussed widely around the country. Many Deputies will have received invitations to the Family Services Information Fora which are being held throughout the country. I, along with the Taoiseach, requested that these fora take place so that discussion could take place on the findings of the commission's report as well as family policy developments in general. The series has been organised by the Family Affairs Unit. They also provide voluntary and community groups with an opportunity to hear about the new family services and to discuss the issues and concerns which these groups encounter in their work in support of families.
It is not possible to set out a suitable timescale for the implementation of the commission's report. The commission's recommendations in the main relate to the approach to be pursued in various areas of policy in the years ahead to strengthen families in carrying out their functions. Some of the commission's recommendations are set in the context of evolving societal change in relation to family life. Some recommendations involve very substantial costs and these recommendations will be a matter for consideration in a budgetary context in the light of available resources. Some recommendations have been put forward by the commission for consideration in the context of major policy reviews which were under way at the time the commission was undertaking its brief. The recommendation of the Commission on the Family will continue to be considered in the context of developing coherent progressive and effective policies for families as promised in the programme for Government, An Action Programme for the Millennium.