Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 5 Jul 2001

Vol. 540 No. 3

Written Answers. - Counselling Service.

John McGuinness

Ceist:

227 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will set up a helpline or provide a direct counselling service to each family which has had the experience of a member going missing; if a service of this kind has already been offered to these families; if so, if ongoing contact is being maintained; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20484/01]

Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs (Mr. D. Ahern)

The establishment of nationwide accessible counselling services for families, through investment in voluntary and community groups providing these services, is a priority objective of the Government's families first approach designed to make families central to policy making and service delivery.

In line with this commitment my Department administers a scheme of grants to voluntary organisations providing marriage counselling services, marriage preparation courses, child counselling services in relation to parental separation and bereavement counselling and support services. This year £4.81 million has been provided by the Government for the scheme, an increase of over five times the level of funding available in 1997.

In 1998 I extended the scheme to cover voluntary organisations providing bereavement counselling and support services. It is my view that voluntary organisations in local communities are best placed to respond to the needs of families coping with this type of major upset or distress in their lives and who require access to counselling and support. Since 1998 an increasing number of organisations providing these family bereavement support services have sought and received grant aid each year.

Organisations providing specialised bereavement support services which have received significant grant aid under the scheme include: Rainbows which provide a particular type of support for children whose lives are affected by bereavement or parental separation. The Rainbows national office received £110,000 over the period 1999 to 2000. A further 75 Rainbows groups throughout the country received individual grants amounting to £60,999 last year; Solas, a specialised bereavement service for children administered by Barnardos received £70,000 in 2000; Loved Ones of Sea Tragedies who provide a particular type of bereavement support to those affected by sea tragedies and the unique circumstances that might surround such occurrences received £10,000 in 2000, Victim Support is mainly funded by the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. The organisation provides a number of services to the victims of crime including a 24 hour helpline. The organisation has provided support for families and relatives of those who have gone missing, as described by the Deputy. Victim Support receive grant aid from my Department in respect of their bereavement counselling and support services.

This year more than 400 organisations have applied for funding under the scheme of grants to voluntary organisations providing marriage, child and bereavement counselling and support services. I expect to announce details of funding under this year's scheme shortly.