James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Two of the biggest centres, including the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, the centre in Galway and several others, are not members of this group and they have a considerable volume of information which would be essential for planning. I do not have the full list with me. Tusla is not the only provider of funding for the RCNI although it provides a substantial part of its funding. We maintained, and I issued an instruction, that front-line services should be protected. Although we are coming out of an economic recession and the Department's budget was increased, there is still huge pressure on that budget. We have to make choices and the choice Tusla has made, which I support, is to support the front-line services. Each of the rape crisis centres that delivers care and services to the victims of sexual and domestic violence received its funding this year, as last year, to a total of approximately €4 million. My job is to protect the service to the front line. In respect of the reorganisation of information being collected Tusla believes it can get more complete information in a much more timely fashion by going about it in a different way. The important point from the Deputy's point of view, and certainly from my point of view, is that front-line services are protected and that victims and survivors of sexual and domestic violence receive the service when they need it.

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