The Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs, Ms Coughlan, has released the findings of last year's public meetings on Government policy for the protection of the family.
Ms Mary Coughlan
Over 700 people attended consultations and workshops in Cork, Donegal, Dublin, Galway and Kilkenny to air their views on how the Government can best support families.
Some of the main discussion points were the provision of practical support for parents, including education; courses in parenting skills for young parents and for parents of teenagers; increased childcare places and supports for families caring for the elderly and other dependents; the need to provide a broader definition of the family unit in modern society and increased access to family counselling services.
Ms Coughlan said this morning the feedback she had received from the public would be taken into account when she was drafting future Government family policy.
"Given the major social and demographic changes that have occurred in Ireland in recent years, it is necessary now to bear in mind the different forms of family in developing policies to promote the well being of individual family members and social cohesion," she said.
The study was compiled by Professor Mary Daly, from the Department of Social Policy at Queen's University, Belfast.
Ireland, as European Union President, will host an international conference in Dublin Castle in May entitled "Families, Change and European Social Policy".