Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 15 December 2004
94 Ms B. Moynihan-Cronin asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if his review of issues facing families today has been completed; the action proposed by him on foot of this review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33453/04]
View answerMy Department is currently co-ordinating the preparation of a strategy for families and family life in a changing society. The project is intended to begin a strategic process under which issues affecting families would be addressed in an integrated way across the range of Departments and agencies currently involved in issues impacting on families.
The process commenced with a public consultation process by way of five regional fora held during 2003, an analysis of the outcome of which, entitled Families and Family Life in Ireland: Challenges for the Future, was published earlier this year.
A call for submissions was issued in July to interested organisations on the issues covered in this publication on families and family life to inform the deliberative process. Some 25 detailed contributions have now been received and a summary analysis completed for review and eventual publication.
An inter-departmental committee, IDC, was also established in July to prepare the strategy across the relevant policy areas. This has included a review of progress made in implementing the recommendations of the Commission on the Family, identifying the policy areas for which it has responsibility for inclusion in the strategy, the objectives and targets for these policy areas and the actions required over the coming years to meet these.
To facilitate this process, a consultant expert has been engaged to prepare an analysis on the main demographic, social and economic changes relating to families and family life today in Ireland and the main challenges these pose for Government policy. This document is nearing completion and earlier drafts are already been considered by members of the IDC.
Full account is being taken of the various reports completed under the families research programme. The final report under this phase of the programme has just been published. Account will also be taken of the outcome of the international conference in Dublin on families, change and social policy in Europe held in Dublin in May and organised by the Irish EU Presidency, with the support of the EU Commission to mark at EU level the tenth anniversary of the UN International Year of the Family.
Ireland has also directly participated in a major international study organised by the OECD entitled, Babies and Bosses — reconciling work and family life.
An analysis of the position in Ireland in relation to these issues is contained in volume two of the study. The project which addresses one of the major issues for both family and employment policy is currently being finalised and the outcome will be one of the main issues to be addressed at a meeting of Ministers for Social Affairs from OECD countries next April.
So far this analysis and consultation at both national and international levels has highlighted the profound and rapid changes affecting families, not least in Ireland. These changes require an integrated response across a range of diverse policy areas including income support, employment, care services, health, education, housing, family and community supports, transport and policies generally to promote social inclusion and greater social cohesion. The intention is to have the strategy completed and published during the first half of 2005.
