EMPHASISING the need for professional counselling for those undergoing marital breakdown, a senator yesterday told of a woman who was released from hospital following a suicide attempt without any advice for the difficulties she was experiencing.
Mr Dan Neville (FG) told the Seanad that the case concerned a woman whose marriage had broken down and whose children were with her husband. She took an overdose of tablets, but, following treatment, she was released from hospital four hours afterwards without receiving any counselling.
Mr Neville said he supported calls for health boards and the State to recognise the urgent need for professional counselling in the area of family, marital, and other personal difficulties.
The debate on the Divorce Bill was opened in the House.
Ms Marian McGennis (FF) referred to the "alarming" statistics on the break up of marriage and urged Equality and Law Reform Minister, Mr Mervyn Taylor, to pull back from what she described as the token measures in the Bill.
He should put in place a workable and responsive system for mediation and reconciliation, she said.
The Bill required steps to be followed with a solicitor rather than a professional in the case of reconciliation, she said.
There was a duty on them as legislators to ensure that reconciliation was given a fair chance. The possibility of its success should be a matter for the couple and a professional in the field, not a solicitor.
The requirement for the solicitor to provide a list of names was worthless unless there was some means of controlling what names were on the list. That responsibility must rest with the Minister who should put procedures in place to ensure a comprehensive list of appropriately qualified counsellors.
"I welcome the measures within the Bill which encourage mediation between the parties on a separation or divorce on an agreed basis and for a deed of agreement," added Ms McGennis. "However, I am concerned that once again the stimulus for this process is to come from a solicitor acting for one of the parties.
"I believe this process must be firmly rooted in the counselling process which I have already outlined. Anything which eases the pain and trauma of the divorce procedure is of value to the future happiness of all involved and in particular any children affected."