Members of the public and organisations working with families will be invited to make suggestions on Government family policy at a series of public consultative meetings.
The aim of the nationwide family fora is to hear submissions to help develop a "more comprehensive and integrated family policy".
Details of the public consultations will be announced today by the Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Ms Coughlan, who has spearheaded the initiative.
The fora will be chaired by the broadcaster, Ms Olivia O'Leary and will hold public hearings in several provincial centres, inviting inputs from families and individuals or groups who work in the area.
Ms Coughlan has said she wants to find a key role for her Department in family and family-friendly issues and policy. The issue of families will also be on the agenda when Ireland takes over the EU presidency in early 2004.
A Family Support Agency was set up last summer and will provide advice to the Minister. Ms Coughlan has asked the agency to examine the impact of tragedy on families and what the Department could do to try to address it. The agency will also provide a family mediation service and support as well as promoting and developing marriage and relationship counselling and other family supports.
The Department has also established several offices of a Family Services Project which provides information for families through local social welfare offices.
This service emphasises local support services available for families and provides information on such issues as income support, money advice and budgeting, access to training and education and local childcare services. This year's budget includes an allocation of €17.29 million for family work.