A book launch was held for Mediation in Focus: a Celebration of Twenty Five Years of the Family Mediation Service, on Monday 7th November in the College of Surgeons . Ninety people attended this event and heard Geoffrey Shannon, Family Law Expert speak of the changes in the delivery of mediation services in recent times.  In the forward of this book Polly Phillimore notes that the long-standing Family Mediation Service training programme delivered since 1997 to mediators who wish to specialise in this field is now accredited by the National University of Ireland Maynooth.  Carmel Savage further describes this programme  in a chapter entitled “The Evolution of Family Mediation Training in Ireland.”  She writes:   “In January 2011 FMS entered a partnership with the School of Business, National University of Ireland Maynooth to accredit the training programme as a Postgraduate Certificate in Mediation and Conflict Intervention.  NUI Maynooth now provides in-service days which consist of theoretical presentations, the exploration of how theory applies to practice and skills development through exercises and role play, enabling participants to integrate their experience and abilities with family mediation. Learning outcomes are required which should demonstrate the  integration of knowledge and practice of the separation mediation process such as screening ,intake, managing budgetary information and assets, option development and negotiation, mediating parenting, drafting agreements, family law and pensions. Staff of the Family Mediation Service deliver and assess the academic performance of trainees on this programme at NUIM. Successful students of the Postgraduate Certificate in Mediation & Conflict Intervention, Family Mediation are recognised as having completed two modules of a Masters in Mediation & Conflict Intervention programme. “