Liz McManus
Question:44 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will make a statement on the recent study produced by his Department, Grandparenting in Modern Ireland. [26829/01]
Written Answers. - Role of Grandparents.
Grandparenthood in Modern Ireland was completed under the families research programme which I introduced to support innovative, original research in the field of family policy and family services. Grandparenthood in Modern Ireland is the first study of grandparents to have been undertaken in this country. The study was conducted by Dr. Francesca Lundstrom on behalf of Age Action Ireland and with the assistance of funding under the families research programme. The study aims to challenge negative attitudes towards ageing and older people by drawing attention to one of the more positive gains in later life. It includes an examination of the available sources of literature on grandparenthood and grandparenting in the USA, Canada and the UK. It explores the demographics of grandparents in Ireland and elsewhere, family relationships and the factors which affect grandparents' involvement with their grandchildren as well as the role of grandparents as carers.
The study assesses the strengths and weaknesses of supports available for grandparents in other countries and it describes the rights of grandparents in relation to ongoing relationships with their grandchildren in marital separation situations in the USA, Scotland and Ireland. The study includes the results of interviews with 58 grandparents to obtain their perspective on all of these issues and their experiences of being a grandparent in Ireland. The findings illustrate the continuing importance and value of grandparents in the lives of modern Irish families, the energy and commitment they bring to their relationships with their children and their grandparenting roles, their concerns about issues such as marital breakdown and lone parenthood, their hopes for the future for themselves, their children and their grandchildren and their suggestions as to how they may be better supported in their grandparenting roles in the changing social and economic circumstances facing families today.
In all, the report provides much need baseline information about grandparents' perspectives on their role and their contribution in family life today. It will be used to contribute to the development of effective family-centred policies and services as promised in the Government's An Action Programme for the Millennium. The report has been widely circulated and has been welcomed by policy makers, legislators, researchers and interest groups involved in the promotion of family well being.