Tim O'Malley (Limerick East, Progressive Democrats)

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter on the Adjournment. The national steering committee on violence against women was established following the report of the task force on violence against women, 1997. It is chaired by the Minister of State at the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. My Department is represented on the national steering committee and the Health Service Executive is also represented.

The purpose of the national steering committee is to provide a multi-disciplinary, multi-agency and cohesive response to the problem of violence against women and in so doing to progress the recommendations of the task force.

The steering committee is representative of a wide range of interests concerned with violence against women and its remit is to provide, inter alia, a multi-disciplinary and cohesive response to this issue. The committee has a number of objectives which include ensuring that regional and local structures are established; developing public awareness campaigns and co-ordinating and advising on the distribution of resources among the health regions; and co-ordinating and advising on ongoing development of policies, including those concerning perpetrators, criminal justice intervention, services and supports.

The Government is committed to working with all interested parties, including service providers, and has undertaken a range of measures to reduce the incidence of domestic violence, to respond to the needs of victims and perpetrators and to raise awareness among the public about the dynamics of this crime. These measures can best be seen in the following areas of Government policy: legislative measures; Garda response; health services; national steering committee on violence against women; and national research perpetrator programmes.

A key indicator of Government commitment to the issue is in the area of funding for service provision. While service provision for victims is provided primarily by the Department of Health and Children, other Departments, including Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Education and Science, Social and Family Affairs, Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs and Environment, Heritage and Local Government, also contribute to responding to the issue.

Funding in the health Vote has increased from approximately €3.8 million in 1997 to approximately €12 million in 2005. This shows the commitment of Government and the Department to addressing this important issue. The distribution of this funding is now a matter for the Health Service Executive. The Department will continue to monitor the level of investment in services for women victims of domestic violence and work with the non-governmental sector to ensure there is adequate service provision to meet their needs. The Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children has asked the Department, with the Health Service Executive, to undertake an analysis of the current level of service provision in this area with a view to planning future service needs.

The Kerry Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre provides a counselling and support service for the support of victims, both male and female, adults and children of sexual abuse. It receives ongoing annual funding of €151,184 from the Health Service Executive, southern area. Other income includes fund-raising——

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