Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 15 December 2004
34 Mr. McGinley asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the way in which the €900,000 for the expansion of the family mediation service as announced recently will be used; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33498/04]
View answer40 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the way in which his Department supports and promotes marriage and families; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33527/04]
View answer70 Mr. Coveney asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the way in which the €600,000 additional funding for marriage and family counselling as announced recently will be used; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33497/04]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 34, 40 and 70 together.
My Department has a key role in the direct provision and ongoing development of income support services to individuals and families, especially in ways that facilitate and promote employment participation, the most effective route out of poverty. The structure of the Department's payment schemes reflects the need for additional support for family members through increases in payment rates in appropriate circumstances and the child benefit scheme which provides support for children in families.
Through its office for social inclusion, my Department also has a key co-ordinating role in developing a joined up policy approach to the provision of all the services that provide economic security to individuals and families.
The Family Support Agency, which was established in May 2003, draws together the main family related programmes and services developed by the Government since 1997. These are designed to promote continuity and stability in family life, help prevent family breakdown, support ongoing parenting relationships for children and local community support for families.
Some €7.61 million was made available by the agency for the scheme of grants to voluntary organisations providing marriage preparation courses, marriage and relationship counselling and other family supports. This year over 500 voluntary groups nationwide will receive financial support for the provision of these services to strengthen and support families throughout the country.
This Government's families first approach is illustrated by the expansion and continued success of this scheme. This year's funding is more than six and a half times the allocation in 1997. The focus of the scheme is on support for the voluntary sector with the development of counselling and support services in the community for families, to enhance stability in family life, and to assist family members to deal with difficult periods which they may experience. The aim is to ensure a larger and more accessible service, to ensure the highest level of service possible and that the service is delivered at a low cost to the client.
In the budget, I allocated a further €600,000 to the Family Support Agency for the marriage and relationship counselling grants. This increase in funding will allow for a general increase of approximately 5% in grant payments to the voluntary and community organisations providing counselling services. It also allows for an increase in the number of applications which has been the case in recent years. The increase will also facilitate the provision of an accessible nationwide counselling service provided by voluntary and community groups.
It will require policy development in a number of policy areas, including employment, income support, care services, especially child care, housing, education, health and travel.
The family mediation service which is also under the aegis of the Family Support Agency, is a free, professional, confidential service that enables couples who have decided to separate to reach agreement on all issues related to their separation. It assists couples to address the issues on which they need to make decisions, including post-separation living arrangements, finances and parenting arrangements to enable children to have an on going relationship with each parent.
The benefits of family mediation as a non-adversarial approach to resolving the issues that arise on separation are increasingly being recognised worldwide. Over the last seven years, the family mediation service has increased from two centres in Dublin and Limerick to 14 centres throughout the country. In 2005, additional family mediation centres will be opened in Portlaoise and Letterkenny.
A total of €2,445,000 was allocated to the family mediation service in 2004. The increased allocation of €900,000 will allow the service to: maintain existing levels of service; consolidate the service, that is, upgrade a number of existing centres and improve staff structures to take account of increased demand for the service; and proceed with the necessary upgrade of the computer system which is in place since 1995.
One of the key issues raised by participants at the series of regional fora on the family, which my predecessor hosted last year, were the benefits of this service for families and the need for additional centres.
There has been a dramatic increase in the number of couples seeking mediation, as the benefits of mediation become more widely known. Last year the service helped over 1,403 couples. This compares with an average of 250 couples per year who used the service from 1986 up to the end of 1997, before its nationwide expansion. I pay tribute to the professionalism and hard work of the family mediators who have made a significant contribution to the promotion of the service over the years.
With the establishment in May last year of the Family Support Agency, the development of the service has been taken one step further. The agency now provides a solid and secure base from which this important family service can grow and develop in the future.
The Family Support Agency brings together the programmes and family support services formerly administered directly by my Department. These include services to support families in times of difficulties, including the family mediation service, support for voluntary organisations providing counselling and other family supports and a family resource centre programme, which supports and develops local communities. The Family Support Agency is responsible this year for a budget of over €20 million for the provision and development of its services.
