Vol. 4 No. 4
In accordance with Standing Order 79B, the following message will be sent to the Dáil:
The Select Committee on Family, Community and Social Affairs has completed its consideration of the Family Support Agency Bill, 2001, and has made amendments thereto.
I thank the Minister and his officials for coming here and being helpful in teasing out the amendments. We are happy the many representations we received were brought to the Minister's attention. We will probably be able to return to them on Report Stage.
I thank the Minister and his officials for their work in developing this agency. I hope it will be very successful in terms of supporting families. I thank the Minister for the amendments he has taken on board. He made it clear that while not accepting a number of amendments he will take on board the spirit of those amendments. I believe that when members of the family resource agency, including members of Family Mediation Service and family counselling, read the detail of what has been said today they will be reassured. People always like to see these matters tied down in legislation. However, I appreciate it is not always possible to do so in terms of some of the issues we were trying to tease out today. The Minister has accepted a number of amendments which is the way legislation should be dealt with in the House. There should be give and take and discussion on issues. It is important for us to represent the many views presented by those who will form the staff and who will be delivering the services of the family support agency. It has been a worthwhile discussion from that point of view.
I welcome the Minister's statement on the issue we discussed at the beginning and the prioritisation his Department will give to investigating patterns in regard to the episodes of family violence we have witnessed. I hope we can learn from that and perhaps the work of the family support agency can target families who find themselves in these situations. I thank the Chair also.
I thank the Chairman and members who contributed, in particular the two Deputies opposite. I thank the committee staff for assisting in the easy transition of the committee. I am pleased we got the Bill through today because I would like to get it on the Statute Book and set up the family support agency. I thank all my officials who, as always, are excellent.
I would say to the two Deputies that while I was accommodating in regard to the amendments to this Bill, I am not sure if I can be as accommodating on the Social Welfare Bill.
We will expect the same and nothing less.
What is the timeframe for Report Stage?
We hope to get it into the Dáil as quickly as possible. It is one of the reasons the other Bill might be dealt with in committee rather than in plenary session of the Dáil.
There is not a lot of time between now and then.
We would like the Bill to be passed before Christmas.
I asked the Taoiseach last week about the Social Welfare (No. 2) Bill. Will we have the Bill before Christmas?
Yes.
The Taoiseach did not appear to know. He thought I was talking about after Christmas.
There will be two Bills because of the rates issue and the time lag.
We will have to come here a week after the budget and go through the Social Welfare Bill.
Just for rates and no other issue.
I am sure the disappointing increases will be the main issue.
I am sure the Minister is working very hard.
As usual, they will be better than anything the Deputy ever produced.
The Minister should not stir it up. I thank the Minister and his officials for coming here. I also thank the members and staff of the committee.
