Extra funding for marriage counselling and the family mediation service has been announced by the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs, Mr Ahern.
Marriage counselling services are to receive an extra £600,000, bringing their grant aid for this year to £1.5 million. The Family Mediation Service, which helps couples to negotiate their own separation agreements, will also receive £600,000, which represents a trebling of its grant aid. Its services are to be made available in extra locations.
Resource centres to help families in disadvantaged areas are to get £700,000. At present there are 10 such centres.
The Department's work with families is to be provided through its new Family Affairs Unit, to which the Minister has allocated £850,000.
The new unit will "co-ordinate family policy, research, parenting information and local office projects", says the Department.