Séamus Healy (Tipperary South, Independent)

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for the opportunity to raise this issue of services for women affected by domestic and sexual violence. I have raised it in the House on a number of occasions. As a long-standing director of the women's refuge in Clonmel, Cuan Saothar, I have a particular interest in the matter.

I call on the Government to fund these services properly and to remove the cap on them which has in effect been in place since 2002, which is having a very adverse effect and is hindering the development of the services. Domestic and sexual violence occurs all over the world and is widespread in Ireland too. The underfunding of the services is unacceptable and is false economy. We must immediately remove the capping on the funding. The lack of funds undermines the abilities of the services to address the extensive, pervasive and ongoing effects of sexual and domestic violence.

The trauma of that violence has been proven to be less severe, long-term and disruptive to a person's life when addressed through immediate support and counselling. Consistent underfunding means these centres are prevented from providing the critical early intervention which they are uniquely equipped to provide.

We know that one in every six survivors of sexual violence will become a psychiatric hospital inpatient, compared with one in 46 of the non-abused population. Some 50% of sexual violence survivors will be prescribed anti-depressant medication compared with 9% of the non-abused population. Without access to immediate and expert care, a survivor experiencing flashbacks, panic attacks and other symptoms is likely to make repeated and long-term demands on local general practitioners, on the mental health services and on other health services. The funding of these centres is urgent, as is the removal of the cap. It is false economy not to fund these services properly.

I refer in particular to two centres in my own constituency, Cuan Saothar, a women's refuge based in Clonmel which provides a service for all of south Tipperary, and the south Tipperary rape crisis centre, also located in Clonmel and providing a service for the entire county. Both centres are under severe financial pressure. Cuan Saothar provides residential facilities for women suffering violence as well as information, support and outreach services, while the rape crisis centre in Clonmel provides services throughout the county. Both centres will have significant deficits by the end of the year, €20,000 in the case of the rape crisis centre and €90,000 in the case of Cuan Saothar. They provide services to vulnerable people throughout the county.

However, this is a nationwide problem. There are many other centres dealing with domestic and sexual violence and the area has not been properly funded, at least since 2002. Properly supporting people in these vulnerable situations is a measure of the sort of people we are, the country we are, the culture we have and the Government we have. I call on the Minister to remove the capping and properly fund these services. Not to do so is a false economy.

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