72 Mr. Flood asked the Minister for Equality and Law Reform the nature and extent of the service available in relation to the family mediation service; the numbers directly employed in running the service; the length of the current waiting lists; the numbers on the lists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7051/97]

The purpose of the Family Mediation Service is to enable couples whose marriages have broken down, to resolve, through mediation, their marital disputes without having to resort to adjudication through the courts. The principle underlying mediation is that couples take responsibility for resolving their own disputes as opposed to decisions being made for them by a third party. The Family Mediation Service offers couples whose marriages have broken down an opportunity to negotiate a separation agreement with the assistance of a neutral trained mediator.