Tim O'Malley (Limerick East, Progressive Democrats)

I am taking the Adjournment on behalf of my colleague, the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney. I thank Deputies Healy and Michael Higgins for raising this matter.

The national steering committee on violence against women was established following the report of the task force on violence against women in 1977. It is chaired by the Minister of State at the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy Fahey. 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 has a number of objectives which include ensuring that regional and local structures are established, developing public awareness campaigns; 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.

Last year the national steering committee undertook a national review of sexual assault treatment services. That report is complete and is due for publication in the coming weeks. The Tánaiste is keen to see the recommendations from this report treated as a priority within the Health Service Executive and that the HSE funding priorities for 2007 will reflect this.

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 be seen across a wide range of Government policy. They include legislative measures, Garda response, health services, the national steering committee on violence against women and national research and treatment programmes for perpetrators.

A key indicator of Government commitment to the issue can be seen in the funding for service provision. Funding for service provision for victims is channelled primarily through the Health Service Executive Vote. In addition, the Departments of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Education and Science, Social and Family Affairs, Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs and the Environment, Heritage and Local Government also contribute to responding to the issue.

Funding in the health sector has risen from approximately €3.8 million in 1997 to approximately €12 million in 2005. This shows the commitment of Government and of my Department to addressing this important issue. The allocation of this funding including to individual rape crisis centres is a matter for the Health Service Executive. The Health Service Executive, formerly the health boards, has worked closely for many years with a range of NGOs, including the rape crisis centres. My Department will continue to monitor the level of investment in services for victims of sexual offences, including rape.

The provision of all emergency housing, including women's refuges, is a matter for the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. Funding is provided to the Health Service Executive for the operation of existing refuges. My Department will continue to monitor the level of investment in these services also. The Tánaiste has asked the Department, together with the Health Service Executive, to undertake an analysis of the level of service provision in the "violence against women area" with a view to planning future service needs. This report which has recently been completed will inform future service planning and provision. The Health Service Executive has responsibility to ensure a more equitable and consistent approach to service delivery and the funding of these services throughout the country and I understand has commenced a review of arrangements.

In regard to the Galway rape crisis centre, the Health Service Executive acknowledges the valuable work the centre provides and will continue to work in partnership with the centre. The Health Service Executive has confirmed that it met the Galway rape crisis centre in January and has allocated funding for 2006.

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