Vol. 481 No. 5
27 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the changes, if any, he has made, or proposes to make, in the organisation and structure of his Department consequent to its change of name. [16506/97]
50 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the changes, if any, made or proposed to be made, to his Department's mission statement to reflect its change of title; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16510/97]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 27 and 50 together.
The name of a Government Department should reflect as accurately as possible the range of the Department's activities and responsibilities. The new name of my Department reflects the wider role which the Department has been developing over recent years.
The Department's role has been broadened over the last number of years beyond that of income support in order to cater for the wider needs and expectation of those to whom it provides a service. This wider remit includes, for example, employment support services, second chance education opportunities for unemployed people, support for the voluntary and community sectors, household budgeting facilities and money advice and budgeting services.
This broader role is reflected in the inclusion of "Community" in the Department's title.
Families are supported by the Department at all stages of the life cycle from infancy to old age and in a wide variety of ways. The Department is now focusing closely on how State policies impact on the various family types that make up our increasingly complex society.
The Department has recently been assigned additional responsibilities which include marriage support services, family mediation services, births, marriages and deaths registration legislation, and for progressing other issues, in particular initiatives in the community for children arising from the Commission on the Family.
The Department's stated mission is "to promote social well-being through income and other supports which enable people to participate in society in a positive way".
This statement was developed as part of the strategic management initiative process initiated a number of years ago. The strategy document "Open, Fair and Caring", which was published in 1996, set out a framework through which the Department's objectives and goals could be achieved. It details the Department's strategic action programmes, values and high level goals.
The mission statement reflects an organisation that not only provides income to a wide range of people but which also has a very significant contribution to make to the well-being of society as a whole.
