Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The €1 million in funding is an acknowledgement of the fact that while some of the divisional protective service units have been up and running for a number of years, there are many that were only established in the last year. It is provided to ensure that those who are working in the units have adequate provisions and the resources that they need. Some will require additional building capacity and space. That is something that we can address as part of the wider capital plan. The €1 million funding is simply to make sure that those who are working in a very difficult area – because this is not just about looking at domestic and sexual violence, but historic and current sexual abuse cases, online child sex abuse and all of these different areas – have the relevant technology, equipment, resources and support that they need. Touching on Deputy Kenny's point, unfortunately, we will probably need more funding to build on that in the years to come. The €1 million funding is very much an acknowledgement that we need to start.

On the €5.4 million, the funding that is currently in my Department for domestic, sexual and gender-based violence totals around €13 million. None of that is for refuge or delivery of services. All of that funding comes under Tusla. Last year, €30 million was spent on the delivery of services to accommodate around 140 spaces. We will need a multiple of that. In the coming weeks, the responsibility for the delivery of service and refuge space will move to the Department of Justice. We will set out very clearly what that structure will look like and how we intend to deliver those services. The accommodation review will be brought to Cabinet next week. As part of the process, I will meet with front-line workers and the community and voluntary sector to go through the accommodation review with the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, because it is still very much part of his Department with Tusla. The intention is that in the short and medium term and as part of the launch of the third national strategy, that will bring together all the different strands.

The accommodation piece and refuge is just one element of tackling domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, albeit a huge part of it overall.

In terms of the community safety fund, as I mentioned at the outset, what it is not intended to do is to substitute funding for groups that are there on a day-to-day or yearly basis. It is intended for community groups to identify new and innovative projects that are perhaps once-off, but which are distinct and separate from activities or organisations that are already functioning or operating. It will not fill a gap where funding is not provided. Again, I would ask people to still apply. Every application will be taken on its merit and the criteria will be set out very clearly in the coming weeks.