Trevor Sargent
Ceist:26 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Equality and Law Reform the funds, if any, to be distributed for legal services, mediation and counselling services for 1996. [3086/96]
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Departmental Funding.
Michael McDowell
Ceist:29 Mr. M. McDowell asked the Minister for Equality and Law Reform the extra moneys, if any, that will be made available for an increased level of marriage counselling and mediation services in 1996; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3057/96]
Helen Keogh
Ceist:94 Ms Keogh asked the Minister for Equality and Law Reform the extra moneys, if any, that are to be made available for an increased level of marriage counselling and mediation services in 1996; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3158/96]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 26, 29 and 94 together.
In the Estimates for my Department in 1996 the Legal Aid Board has been allocated £6.5 million, an increase of approximately 5 per cent over 1995. As in 1995, funding of £45,000 has been provided for FLAC. Marriage and children's counselling organisations have been allocated £900,000, compared to expenditure of £750,000 in 1995, and the Family Mediation Service has been allocated £300,000, compared to expenditure of £260,000 in 1995. Details of the allocations for 1996 are set out in the Estimates for Public Services for 1996 (Abridged Version), copies of which are available in the Oireachtas Library.
I understand that the allocation for the Family Mediation Service has not been taken up in the past and that it has not been possible to provide a service because of a lack of necessary facilities. Will the Minister address this issue, given the allocations for 1996? In view of the outcome of the referendum, does he agree that there is a need to significantly increase early access to services for people who are experiencing marital difficulties? Am I correct in saying that allocations were not taken up by the mediation service in the past? I would like to ask a question about the service in Limerick, a later question tabled by me deals specifically with this issue.
Even at this stage the Deputy has gone beyond the bounds of what is a statistical question.
The Family Mediation Service does very valuable and important work. The extension and expansion of that service is under way and arrangements are being put in place, hence the increased funding provided for this purpose in the Estimates for 1996.
The Minister has not answered my question. Were allocations for the mediation service not taken up in previous years? Can the Minister give an assurance that this will not happen in future given the need for mediation services?
It was initially expected that a second Family Mediation Service centre in Limerick would be opened last year but this did not prove possible. I expect that the centre will be opened this year and funding has been provided for it.
I do not want to be repetitious but the Minister has not answered my question. Neither do I want to refer to Limerick because of your ruling, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle. However, I understand that money allocated for mediation services was not fully taken up in previous years. Is the Minister saying that this funding would have been taken up if the centre in Limerick was opened? If this is not the reason, why was it not taken up, did it go somewhere else or has it been included in this year's allocation?
The allocation in the Estimates for the Family Mediation Service for this year is £300,000 while the comparable figure in 1995 was £260,000. I hope the centre in Limerick will be operational on a full plenary basis later this year. That is the present position and if Deputy Sargent wants more specific information on what is happening in Limerick he should table a question on the matter.
I have, it is Question No. 97 on today's Order Paper.
I will deal with the issue in reply to that question.
Will the Minister indicate approximately when the proposed mediation service centre in Limerick will become operational? I thank him for his decision in principle to extend the service to Limerick where it is badly needed.
That is somewhat outside the scope of the question.
I understand there is a later question on this issue and I do not want to prejudge it.
Will the Minister give an assurance that when the decision is taken to make the centre in Limerick operational all Deputies will be informed and that advance notice will not be given to Labour Deputies and Ministers, as has happened in the case of the other departmental decisions in regard to Limerick announced over the past 14 months?
We are not talking about the opening of the centre but about the operation of it on a full plenary basis. I cannot give a specific date except to say that I wish to have the centre opened and operational on a full plenary basis as quickly as possible.
And I will be informed at the same time as Deputy Kemmy.
That is typical of Deputy O'Dea.
That concludes questions for today.