Brian O'Shea
Ceist:814 Mr. O'Shea asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs his plans to locate a family mediation office in County Waterford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1028/02]
Written Answers. - Family Mediation Service.
The family mediation service is a free, professional confidential service which enables couples, who have decided to separate, reach agreement on all issues related to their separation. It assists couples in addressing the issues on which they need to make decisions including: post-separation living arrangements; finances and parenting arrangements so that ongoing close relationships with both parents are made possible for the children.
Since this Government came to office the family mediation service has been radically expanded in line with commitments in An Action Programme for the Millennium to establish a nationwide service. The service is now available from 11 centres throughout the country, up from just two in 1997. The family mediation service is now available from centres in Dublin, Athlone, Castlebar, Cork, Dundalk, Galway, Limerick, Tralee and Wexford. The Dublin service has been expanded and relocated to larger premises to deal with more clients and new services have been established in Tallaght and Marino serving Coolock and the northside of Dublin. A new service for the people of Blanchardstown and the surrounding population in north west Dublin will commence shortly and the provision of a service for the north west of the country remains a high priority.
As soon as the present phase of expansion is completed plans for the further extension of the family mediation service in the south east of the country to County Waterford will be progressed by the new Family Support Agency. The Family Support Agency will take on the responsibility for the future development of a range of pro-family services which I have introduced over the past few years to promote family well-being, including the family mediation service. The further development and expansion of the family mediation service so that more people throughout the country will have access to this important family service will be a core function of the new agency. It is my intention to formally establish the new Family Support Agency very shortly.