Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have a reply from the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs who, unfortunately, is out of the country. She asks me to apologise to the Deputy for being unable to attend the debate and is grateful to the Deputy for putting this matter on the agenda of Dáil Éireann. I will not read out the first page of the reply because we know about the Child and Family Agency which I think we all support and the work it is doing in the provision of domestic and sexual violence services.

As part of the establishment of the new Child and Family Agency, a dedicated position of programme manager for domestic, sexual and gender-based violence has been created. I understand the new programme manager took up the position in early February this year. I also understand the HSE spent over €17 million on the provision of domestic and sexual violence services.

This included the funding of 60 services and centres throughout the country comprising €10 million for 20 crisis refuges, more than €4 million for 16 rape crisis centres and almost €3.5 million for 24 support services.

Rape Crisis Network Ireland received funding of €256,000 from the HSE in 2013. The financial statements for 2012 indicate that the organisation received total income of more than €650,000, including €256,000 from the HSE. Rape Crisis Network Ireland had a two year service level agreement with the HSE which expired on 31 December 2013, but which was extended to 31 March 2014 to allow for the establishment of the Child and Family Agency, the appointment of a programme manager for domestic, sexual and gender-based violence services, and to enable the agency to tender for future support services to support front-line agencies. The recently appointed programme manager responsible for domestic, sexual and gender-based violence services is working with the head of procurement in the agency to establish a tender process, due to begin in September, for longer-term provision of support to front-line agencies from 2015. The process will be open to all qualified providers, including Rape Crisis Network Ireland, to tender for this new contract.

The Minister for Children and Youth affairs discussed the issue of funding of Rape Crisis Network Ireland with Gordon Jeyes, who is the CEO of the Child and Family Agency. It has been decided to commission specific projects from a number of providers during 2014, including Rape Crisis Network Ireland, and discussions regarding these contracts are in train. In allocating funding for support activities to front-line services in 2014, the focus is on activities that will enhance the capacity of the agency to ensure front-line services are supported in the delivery of high quality effective services. I assure the Deputy and the House that funding is ring-fenced to provide front-line services in this area and there are no plans to reduce supports to key services.

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