19/04/2011

Over €7m Investment For Counselling Services

The Minister for Children has approved funding of over €7 million to 28 major organisations which provide a wide range of marriage, child and bereavement counselling services and supports nationwide.

Announcing the funding Frances Fitzgerald T.D., said: “I am delighted to be in a position to continue funding for these counselling organisations. Each of these organisations has a proven track record in the speciality of services they provide. This is the third payment to these organisations in a three year multi-annual funding cycle. It has enabled the organisations concerned to plan and develop quality services over the period.”

The grants will be used by counselling organisations to provide marriage counselling, marriage preparation courses, counselling services to children whose lives have been affected by parental separation and bereavement counselling and support to families on the death of a family member.

The funding announced by Minister Fitzgerald includes:
  • €4.2 million for major providers of services such as ACCORD, Marriage & Relationship Counselling Services Ltd and Cork Marriage Counselling Services
  • €1.4 million for regional networks of services in counties Cork, Dublin, Galway, Kerry, Louth, Mayo, Roscommon and Waterford
  • €674,000 for services providing supports for children in need of counselling in relation to parental separation and bereavement
  • €412,500 for organisations providing services in disadvantaged communities
Minister Fitzgerald added: “These grants, demonstrate the Government’s commitment to offering practical assistance to families and individuals at particularly stressful periods in their lives. Having a network of support services available throughout the country, to provide marriage and relationship counselling services is a core part of helping families to cope with problems they are confronted with”.

(BMcN/GK)


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