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

I thank Deputy Collins for raising this issue again, and I welcome the opportunity to clarify the position in relation to the funding of domestic violence services by Tusla, the child and family agency. I was approached by Respond! following previous unsuccessful approaches to South Dublin County Council for funding to allow it to continue with its existing services at Cuan Álainn. I facilitated a meeting with Respond! on 3 November, at its request, to get a first-hand account of the nature of the service it provides and the reasons behind the decision by Respond! to close the current service at Cuan Álainn, and to get a better understanding of previous interactions between Respond! and State bodies in relation to the facility. Respond! advised that it is not in a position to continue funding the centre. The Cuan Álainn centre does not operate as a front-line emergency domestic violence service. In the main, it provides second-stage residential accommodation for persons whose emergency needs have been met. Respond! informed me that it is not accepting any new referrals to the facility. At the time of the meeting there were five families in residence at the Cuan Álainn centre. Permanent accommodation has been secured for two of the families and the remaining three families residing at the centre need to be housed. I have been reassured by the commitment of Respond! to secure alternative accommodation for these families.

In discharging its statutory responsibility, Tusla funds emergency refuge services for adults and children fleeing domestic violence as well as providing a range of ongoing community supports. Tusla will continue to provide such supports in the future. Tusla has informed me that a range of domestic violence supports are available in the Dublin south central and Dublin south west areas. In addition to the specialist domestic violence services and supports provided in the Dublin south west area, Tusla funds several other organisations in the Tallaght area to provide ongoing family support services to families with a range of complex needs, including domestic violence. The families residing at the Cuan Álainn centre have pressing housing needs which the local housing authorities are best placed to address.

At our meeting, Respond! outlined how it decided to build the facility on foot of its own needs analysis, which determined that, although the area did not need another domestic violence refuge, there was a need for move-on accommodation for those using emergency refuges.

In general, Cuan Álainn provides transitional housing for survivors of domestic violence after their emergency needs have been met. The majority of referrals to Cuan Álainn are from existing domestic violence refuges already funded by Tusla. Each of the families at the Cuan Álainn centre has housing needs, which are best provided through mainstream housing supports. As the Deputy will know, there are different supports for these needs, including via local authorities or, if appropriate, income supports from the Department of Social Protection.

I advised Respond! that I would contact the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Kelly, to establish what could be done to assist the families involved, particularly in light of the pressing housing needs of the families residing at the Cuan Álainn centre. I have done that and have asked him to consider what can be done to assist the families involved and to ensure that there is further engagement by the relevant local authorities with Respond! regarding the future of the service.

Since the meeting on 3 November, I have received further correspondence from Respond! indicating that it plans to repurpose the Cuan Álainn facility should it cease providing its current service. Tusla will continue to support these and all families affected by domestic violence by providing appropriate community supports.

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