Government pays €690k in rent for family mediation centres
Despite calls for administrative cutbacks in the Family Support Agency, which runs the service, following the McCarthy report last year, the Irish Examiner has learnt that the headquarters of the family mediation service still costs €42,915 to rent per quarter. The premises, based on the first floor of St Stephen’s Green House, is rented from the Office of Public Works at an annual cost of €171,660.
At another OPW building in Cork, rent jumped from less than €3,000 a quarter in 2008 to more than €5,000 last year.
In Waterford, more than €10,000 a quarter was paid in rent last year.
Fine Gael’s Paudie Coffey said alternative accommodation must be considered as of the 16 centres, 12 are part-time offices which are only open for 17.5 hours a week.
He called on Minister for Children Frances Fitzgerald to investigate the matter and look at possible alternatives that would secure the continuation of the service, by providing it at a much reduced cost.
Family mediation services provide professional counselling and advice to families in conflict, allowing them to bypass the legal process. The services are currently being provided in 16 centres nationwide: four full-time offices in Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Galway, and 12 part-time offices across the country including Waterford, Dundalk and Sligo.
The part-time offices are open for a total of 17.5 hours a week. However, many of their rents surpass that paid for offices which are rented full time.
“The amount of money spent renting premises for family mediation services across the country has been steadily rising over the last number of years. In 2008, €619,808 was spent on rent, in 2009 it was €677,946 and last year rent peaked at €690,123,” Mr Coffey said.
“In these stringent times the payment of exorbitant rents are difficult to justify, especially when community centres across the country, or schools after hours, could be used to support the service,” the FG TD said.
“There is no reason for this service to be provided in plush and expensive offices. If this approach had been taken over the last three years, the taxpayer would have been saved in excess of €1.5 million.”
