Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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Question 102: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if there are plans to increase funding for counselling service organisations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14919/09]

Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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Question 103: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the grants, financial supports or other funding are available to a counselling agency (details supplied). [14920/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take questions 102 and 103 together.

The Family Support Agency provides funding through a Scheme of Grants to voluntary and community organisations providing marriage and relationship counselling, marriage preparation courses, child counselling in relation to parental separation and bereavement counselling and support on the death of a family member. The focus of the scheme is on support for the voluntary sector with the development of counselling and support services in the community for families, to enhance stability in family life, and to assist families and their members to deal with difficult periods which they may experience.

Over €11m was made available under the Scheme for 2008 and 600 organisations received funding. Funding of over €7.8m for 29 major organisations who have been identified for multi-annual funding was announced in February. The balance of applications for funding under the 2009 Scheme have been processed and there will be a further announcement on funding, amounting to nearly €3.5m, shortly. No application for funding has been received from the organisation referred to by the Deputy. Overall, this means that funding of over €11.3m will be made available for the Scheme in 2009.