Ireland’s Catholic marriage preparation and care service, Accord, dealt with 60,000 men, women and children in 2014, its latest annual figures show.

Describing the figure as “extraordinary”, Accord president, Bishop Denis Nulty of Kildare & Leighlin said it “demonstrates the relevance and value of Accord for our society today, as well as the high esteem and trust in which we are held by the Irish people”.

The breakdown of the 60,000 total reveals that, in 2014, Accord catered to 15,504 persons in marriage preparation courses; 9,233 clients availing of 46,656 marriage counselling hours (38,880 sessions); while 35,997 people attended our schools’ programme.

Bishop Nulty added: “I am also glad to report that Accord’s counselling service benefited 6,300 families, including 13,832 children up to the age of eighteen years old.”

Hailing Accord’s staff and the army of volunteers who make the group’s work possible, Bishop Nulty said: “I wish to commend Accord’s members for their support for marriage and family life here in Ireland. In particular I am thinking of their vital roles in preparing couples for the Sacrament of Marriage and, separately, with individuals and couples experiencing tensions and difficulties in their marriages and relationships.”

Established in 1962 by the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference, Accord is an all-island body committed to supporting stable family relationships and assisting with providing a healthy and safe home environment for individuals, couples, parents and their children to grow and flourish in. Today, the organisation has 50 local centres staffed by 900 members, including professionally trained part-voluntary/part-paid facilitators and counsellors; in 2014, 56% of Accord’s services were delivered on a voluntary basis.

It recently had its funding slashed by the Government.