Call for studies on marriage, families

Research into marriage, relationship breakdown and lone parenting should be prioritised, a report has found.

Family Research in Ireland - A review of studies under the first phase of the Families Research Programme recommends that these areas be studied because of the constitutional importance of marriage and its importance in public policy generally.

Research into the area of family law and the impact of family mediation should also be considered, the report says.

Written by researcher and barrister Mel Cousins, the study summarises the findings of 15 other reports prepared under the Families Research Programme and published by the Family Support Agency between 1999 and 2004. It recommends that 10 areas be prioritised for research by the agency.

A study on lone parenthood and other family issues from the perspective of women should be considered, it says, given that none of the 15 projects under consideration is specifically from women's perspectives.

It says specific studies should be carried out on issues relevant to migrants and ethnic minorities, and the FSA should ensure that these groups are included in general research projects where feasible.

Other areas recommended for research include disability, caring and older people.

Launching the report yesterday, Minister for Social and Family Affairs Séamus Brennan highlighted the importance of quality research and said the agency should be given a more central role in studying Irish society.

"I fully support the recommendation that any further research should ensure a woman's perspective is fully taken into account," he said.

"I also agree completely that we need to commission quality research into the issue of lone parenthood.

"This is particularly relevant in the light of the number of lone parents in receipt of the one-parent family payment, which currently stands at over 80,000," Mr Brennan added.