Vol. 492 No. 5
31 Mrs. B. Moynihan-Cronin asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the way in which he will deal with the report on the Commission on the Family; the framework, if any, his Department has put in place for action on the report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14461/98]
The final report of the Commission of the Family "Strengthening Families for Life" contains a comprehensive and in-depth analysis of the issues affecting families and wide-ranging recommendations across several different policy areas.
The recommendations in the report will be fully considered in the context of developing coherent, progressive and effective policies for families as promised in the programme for Government, An Action Programme for the Millennium.
The Government is committed to adopting a "families first" approach by putting the family at the centre of all its policies. In line with this commitment and in response to recommendations from the commission the Government has established a new family affairs unit in the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs and has provided an additional £2.75 million for the development of family services in my Department in the last budget. That includes: £700,000 for a network of family and community services resource centres; an extra £600,000 for support for marriage counselling services; and an extra £600,000 for the expansion of the family mediation service.
The family affairs unit is responsible for support for the marriage counselling services and the family mediation service as well as a number of other family services, including a pilot programme to provide improved support to families from local offices of the Department through the one stop shop model and the introduction of an information programme on parenting issues.
The unit has been given a specific responsibility to pursue the findings in the commission's report following its consideration by the Government. In pursuing the findings of the report the unit will work with the other Departments which are affected by the commission's recommendations. An amount of £850,000 had been provided for the family affairs unit to include staffing and administration, the funding of the local office pilot project, a research budget and the programme of parenting information.
I thank the Minister for his reply. The full report of the Commission on the Family has not been made available to Opposition spokespersons. I got a copy of the document in the Library. The Minister gave a commitment on the day he launched the report that he would not let dust settle on it, but the dust appears to be settling on it because I have not yet received a copy of it. The report contains the most in-depth research available on the modern family. In particular, the research on child care and pre-school education provide damning evidence that major shortfalls exist and need to be addressed as a matter of urgency. I understand the Cabinet is actively considering the priorities it intends to address in the autumn budget. Will the Minister give a commitment that the commitments given in Partnership 2000 and in the national anti-poverty strategy will be seriously considered and that significant funding will be earmarked for child care services and pre-school education?
I accept the position about the report. I said on the day I announced details of the report, which runs to 800 pages, that its recommendations should be circulated and it would be published shortly. It has been proof read and it is now being printed and I expect the full report will be available in about two weeks' time.
In a report of that size there are bound to be many recommendations. The Deputy is correct that some of its most substantial recommendations relate to the issue of child care. Those recommendations will be considered by the expert group on child care under Partnership 2000 which is considering this issue. All the issues raised about child care will be considered closely by the Government not only in the context of the forthcoming budget but in the context of future budgets.
Can I take it that the forthcoming budget will provide for some funding to be put into pre-school and child care services? Child care is a major issue especially for mothers who wish to return to work. I expect good news on that front in the next budget.
