Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Minister to the House. Perhaps because I was at my son's wedding last week I am minded to comment on this. This is about enabling the Minister to designate certain bodies to administer civil marriage registration. I would prefer if these were designated rather than at ministerial discretion but this is not the import of the point I wish to make. Yesterday morning I listened to an interesting debate on marriage on Newstalk in which Senator Susan O'Keeffe took part. I understand its instigation, and perhaps the Senator will correct me if I am wrong, was the forming of the Marriage Foundation in Britain because of serious concerns about marriage breakdown. Approximately 50% of marriages in Britain break down with a similar figure in the US. There is a very significant cost to the children of such marriages and to society in general. The Minister is not an uninterested bystander because it also impacts on her budget. There are many compelling reasons for structures to support the institution of marriage.

Those getting married in a Catholic church must complete a pre-marriage course. Some people have told me they found it very good and beneficial and others have said they did not think it was as good as it should have been. Those who apply to conduct civil marriage ceremonies should be obliged to provide properly approved pre-marriage courses. Failing this, and I understand some bodies may not have the resources to do so although I do not know, the State should do it. This would recognise that marriage breakdown in this country has caused serious issues for the couples involved and often for their children. It behoves us to try to ensure we build into the system structures to support and endeavour to ensure marriages are sustainable. Part of this involves pre-marriage preparation.

I remember raising a point about the need for mediation services when discussing a justice Bill with a former late Minister. He assured me we would have mediation services within a short period and we did. Mediation services were mentioned in the programme yesterday, not the ones about which I had spoken but rather mediation to assist people divorcing. I applaud this as I think it is good and necessary but many situations arise where appropriate mediation at the early stages of difficulties in a marriage could keep the marriage together. I was listening to the programme as I was driving and I have a feeling it was mentioned or a message was sent in to state a person had been contemplating divorce but through some mechanism, without any real structured basis, the couple involved had ended up working their way through it and subsequently they conceded they were happy they had done so. As a society and State we should try to ensure we do this.

While the Bill is important it is relatively insignificant in the overall context of two people who decide to commit to each other and who have children, and I am very concerned about where children are involved. I have yet to meet anybody from a broken marriage, unless from a high-conflict relationship, who would state anything other than that they regretted the fact their parents broke up. Many people have been scarred as a consequence, psychologically and otherwise. I urge the Minister to consider setting in place either obligations or a State-sponsored system that would encourage and make mandatory pre-marriage courses. In addition, I suggest that in future consideration be given for a structure that would assist people. While I acknowledge certain structures are in place, I am uncertain how proactive they are or how skilled some of those who engage in them are either. There would be a significant payback for society, the State and the individuals involved, were it possible to position the State to be constructive, helpful and of assistance in that particular area. I urge that this be done.