Ms Eibhlín Byrne:

The development of services for domestic violence around the country has been, at best, inconsistent and sporadic. That is because refuges were historically built in areas either because capital was available or because local fund-raising enabled the refuge to be built. Those refuges were often shared as homeless shelters and domestic violence refuges. The changing arrangements in the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, particularly regarding section 10 funding, have led to difficulties. It has been a difficulty in the instance mentioned by the Deputy. We are engaged in discussions with the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government to examine how these refuges will be funded into the future. We cannot have a situation where the same beds are being used for homelessness and domestic violence incidents because when homelessness becomes long term, there is no longer a bed available for a woman or children who are suffering domestic violence.

We have taken a number of steps. Along with entering discussions with the Department, we have also undertaken a review of the services we are delivering. The amounts given to these services were traditionally divided among a number of Departments. Under the Child and Family Agency Act they are all under the remit of Tusla, so approximately €16 million is now available for domestic, sexual and gender-based violence services.

We have undertaken an audit of what the budgets are around the country, so for the first time we now know how much is spent on services throughout the country. We have also carried out geo-mapping of the locations. Due the historical nature of how these services developed, there are many in some areas and none in others. While regionally they might be well balanced, they are not balanced within areas. Following the geo-mapping, we will carry out a needs analysis and decide how services will be delivered around the country. It will be based on needs, but we will also look at international best practice. A domestic violence refuge is no place to bring up children. Children and families have spent too long in refuges. It is the policy of Tusla to provide emergency accommodation in the first place, such as in the refuges, but also to look at investing in community supports so that children and families can remain at home or at least in the community, so the refuges are not the only alternative open to them.

There are difficulties and section 10 is a particular problem for us. Renewed and reviewed audits of budgets and locations are necessary and they will be introduced by Tusla in the last quarter of this year, with a new roadmap for services for 2015 to 2017 being provided.