Family Support Agency Act, 2001
|
Functions of Agency. |
4.—(1) The functions of the Agency shall be— | |
(a) to provide a family mediation service, | ||
(b) to provide, where the Agency considers it necessary or expedient— | ||
(i) family mediation through such other persons as it considers appropriate, | ||
(ii) training in family mediation, either by itself or such other persons as it considers appropriate, | ||
(c) to support, promote and develop the provision of marriage and relationship counselling and family support services, | ||
(d) to promote and disseminate information about issues in relation to marriage and relationships education, family mediation, parenting and family responsibilities and related matters and in this regard to co-operate with other public authorities in providing information to assist persons in balancing their work and family responsibilities, | ||
(e) to support, promote and develop the Family and Community Services Resource Centre Programme of the Minister, | ||
(f) to undertake or commission research into matters related to its functions or such other matters as the Minister may request, | ||
(g) to provide at the request of the Minister or on its own initiative advice, information and assistance to the Minister in relation to the development of any aspect of its functions, | ||
(h) to provide, subject to the consent of the Minister, and in accordance with criteria established under section 7 , financial assistance to voluntary bodies in respect of any matter related to the Agency's functions and for this purpose to administer— | ||
(i) the scheme of the Minister known as the Scheme of Grants to Voluntary Organisations providing Marriage, Child and Bereavement Counselling Services, | ||
(ii) the programme of the Minister known as the Family and Community Services Resource Centre Programme, and | ||
(iii) such other schemes, grants and other facilities for financial assistance as may, from time to time, be authorised by the Minister after consultation with the Minister for Finance, | ||
(i) to prepare strategic plans in accordance with section 9 , | ||
(j) to perform any additional functions assigned to the Agency under section 5 . | ||
(2) The Agency in performing the functions conferred on it by or under this Act shall have regard to— | ||
(a) the need to assist in particular, persons involved in the process of separation or divorce to reach agreement where possible, especially in disputes involving children, | ||
(b) the need for co-operation with other relevant public authorities and voluntary bodies, | ||
(c) Government policy in particular social inclusion policy. | ||
(3) The Agency shall have all such powers as are necessary for or incidental to the performance of its functions under this Act. |