Michael Bell
Ceist:38 Mr. Bell asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if ACCORD has been provided with extra funding to further develop its marriage counselling services. [6416/99]
Written Answers. - Family Support Services.
Increased investment in marriage counselling services to support their work in preventing marital breakdown is an important objective of the Government. This year £2.1 million has been provided for voluntary organisations providing marriage and child counselling in relation to parental separation. This compares to an allocation of £900,000 in 1997. Last year £1.5 million was provided and in late 1998 I secured sanction to extend the scheme to cover courses on marriage preparation and bereavement counselling and support services for families on the death of a family member.
An amount of £643,500 was allocated to ACCORD centres in 1998 for marriage and child counselling and a further £56,150 was allocated for marriage preparation courses. In 1997, I am advised that ACCORD received a total of £522,500.
I will formally launch the scheme of grants for this year on Monday next in Dublin Castle. The grants have been advertised in today's national papers and provincial press coming out this weekend and organisations like ACCORD can apply to my Department for funding in the normal way.