Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin North Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Stanley for raising this issue and I welcome the opportunity to clarify the Government's approach to the funding of domestic violence services around the country and in the Deputy's constituency of County Laois.

For the first time, with the establishment of Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, domestic, sexual and gender-based violence service provision is under one body with clear national direction. Services can now be delivered within a wide child and family support framework and this represents a significant change to the previous service delivery model.

In 2014, €17 million in funding was provided by the Child and Family Agency by way of grant aid to 62 specialist domestic violence and sexual violence services. These include 16 rape crisis centres-sexual violence services; 44 domestic violence services, including 20 refuges; and two national networks.

In addition, funding of €2.54 million has transferred to the Department of Children and Youth Affair's Vote from the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government which, in turn, has been transferred to Tusla.

This funding was previously distributed under section 10 of the Housing Act 1988 and is for domestic violence refuge services. The purpose of this funding transfer is to ensure that the State's relationship with the domestic violence services is managed in a manner which is more coherent and adapted to the needs of service users, that is, victims of domestic violence.

In 2014, Tusla funded specialist domestic violence services in County Laois provided by Laois Domestic Abuse Services in Portlaoise. The service received €64,900 in funding from Tusla last year. As the Deputy outlined, the service involves the provision of domestic violence supports, including information, advocacy and counselling services to women experiencing, or who have experienced, domestic violence. The work of Laois Domestic Abuse Services and other community-based domestic violence services is recognised and absolutely valued.

Tusla has recently completed an initial review of domestic violence and sexual violence services in order to identify strategic priorities and set out a Tusla roadmap for sexual violence and domestic violence services. There is for the first time a consolidated national budget for these services and an opportunity for more co-ordinated and equitable provision of sexual and domestic violence services across the country.

Tusla will communicate with funded services shortly to advise on the Tusla budget and funding for 2015. Individual domestic violence service provider organisations, including Laois Domestic Abuse Service, will be contacted about their specific funding and service arrangements.

Future planning for domestic violence and sexual violence services will seek to address gaps, avoid duplication and support effective delivery of front-line services nationally.

Developments for domestic violence services in County Laois will be considered as part of Tusla's future commissioning processes. The agency has advised that population size will be one of the factors that will inform this process. Services responding to domestic, sexual and gender-based violence are being given a high priority by Government and Tusla will work closely with service providers, giving particular priority to supporting front-line services.

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