Republican News · Thursday 1 November 2001

Ó Caoláin urges support for Family Resource Centres

Welcoming the establishment of the new Family Support Agency Cavan/Monaghan TD Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin called for the role of existing Family Resource Centres to be respected and for their concerns to be taken on board in the new legislation.

The Dáil was last week debating the Family Support Agency Bill, which is designed to help provide a range of family mediation and counselling services. Ó Caoláin welcomed the agency, which is to coordinate and provide resources for services throughout the 26 Counties. He endorsed the proposals brought forward by the Family Resource Centres.

Ó Caoláin called for recognition that the concept of what constituted a family had changed. "The general understanding of what constitutes a family has changed - and rightly so," he said. "Those families who fell outside the standard definition of family were for too long excluded and discriminated against. Neither this Bill nor the 1937 Constitution defines the family, but Article 41.2 of the Constitution refers to "woman's life within the home". That piece of sexism dates from the era when married women were prevented from working in the Civil Service. Article 41.3 pledges to "guard with special care" the institution of marriage, on which, it says, the family is founded.

"Most families are founded on marriage, but by no means are all so founded. For example, many families in our society consist of a single parent and a child or children. There are also many instances - and this is not a modern phenomenon - of grandparents rearing grandchildren. This has been known in our society for many generations. It is a pity this Bill does not contain an explicit recognition of what is now, thankfully, generally recognised in Ireland, that the traditionally defined nuclear family is not the only family form and not the only context in which children can find a safe and loving home.

"I want to reflect the concerns of the Family Resource Centre Forum about this legislation. It defines a family as comprising two or more people living in a co-dependent relationship and views all families as equally entitled to support. I concur with that.

"I recognise also that the majority of families, those based on long-term relationships, centred on marriage and the rearing of children need support, most especially when difficulties arise.

Ó Caoláin said he was concerned and disappointed at the lack of adequate consultation in the framing of the legislation, citing in particular the inclusion of The Family Resource Centre Forum in the remit of the Family Support Agency, which was presented as a fait accompli without consultation with any of the key stakeholders.

The Family Resource Centre Forum has three principal concerns with the Bill and the role expected of it. Those concerns are: the lack of consultation with the family resource centres preceding this legislation; the fact that the family resource centres operate on the guiding principle of community development; and the understanding inherent in this legislation of what constitutes a family.

Ó Caoláin expressed his support for key changes to the Bill proposed by the family resource centres. They seek recognition for the unique and cohesive ethos of the centres to ensure their continuation. They say the FRC Forum should be recognised as the consultative body for the centres. Community development principles should continue to be the basis of their operations.

"Very importantly, the FRC Forum seeks the right to elect three members onto the board of the Family Support Agency," said Ó Caoláin. "This is a key requirement and I urge the Minister to adopt it on Committee Stage.

"Under the Family Support Agency, centres may be required to change their ethos from one based firmly on community development and the fight against poverty to one primarily focused on counselling and mediation in family difficulties," said Ó Caoláin. "One of the primary causes of family difficulties and the break-up of families is poverty, housing poverty, educational poverty and lack of resources at many levels.

"Profound social changes in recent decades have seen the breakdown of the traditional support network provided by the extended family and the wider local community. For those with lower income, the impact of these changes has been far greater than for those cushioned by average or higher incomes. I hope the Minister can reassure us on the concerns that I and others have raised. I hope that, albeit belatedly, a process has already begun that will see all involved in supporting families and communities working together with a common purpose."