Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Catherine Murphy for raising this issue. She and I both support the work carried out by rape crisis centres nationwide. I am very pleased that this year an additional €1.5 million will be allocated to domestic, sexual and gender based violence services. In my instructions to Tusla for its 2017 business plan, I highlighted these services as a priority for me and the Government. This brings funding for 2017 to €22.1 million. This funding is much needed and a step in the right direction following cuts to these vital services in recent years.

Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, has statutory responsibility for the care and protection of victims of domestic, sexual and gender based violence, whether in the context of the family or otherwise. In this context, it allocates funding to 16 rape crisis centres, which are part of a network of 60 organisations providing services and includes 20 services providing emergency refuge accommodation to women and children and 24 community based domestic violence services.

It is my job as Minister and Tusla's job as the agency responsible to ensure that limited resources are targeted in order that vulnerable people who find themselves in desperate circumstances get the support they need. We cannot do this without data and information about where and what the need is and what services are available to address this need. Public money is being used to support citizens and we have a duty to members of the public and an obligation to those in need to ensure, in as far as it is possible, we meet those needs.

Tusla is developing its information capacity to do this and working with the organisations which support people in crisis to help us to get the right information to improve our services. All organisations need to count the same thing. We will only provide the right services to the right people in the right place at the right time if we have standard data gathering and reporting mechanisms. We need better quality data. In addition, Tusla requires all funded organisations to be compliant with data protection legislation and obtain the necessary consent from service users and others.

Deputy Murphy raised a question concerning the Rape Crisis Network Ireland, RCNI. As has been previously outlined in the House, Tusla made a decision not to renew funding to the RCNI in 2015. The agency was concerned that the RCNI database was not representative of all rape crisis centres and did not collect all of the data required by Tusla. This is a matter for the parties involved.

In 2016, Tusla established a project to address its data and information needs in respect of these services. The goal is to improve the data and knowledge systems. This will result in evidence based services being provided and will enable Tusla to meet national reporting obligations and forthcoming international obligations.

Tusla is very aware of the importance of striking the right balance between the rights of individuals to privacy and the ability of organisations to use data for the purpose of improving their services. It is important to highlight that Tusla only gathers aggregated data from funded services and does not require provision of personal data. I am sensitive to the concerns raised by the Deputy and other organisations and I have asked Tusla for further reassurance relating to concerns about anonymity.

My interest and energy are centred on maintaining a focus on the provision of services to the individuals and families who need them. Tusla is also planning for next year and the year after. We need to get it right for those who, unfortunately, will need these services in 2018 and thereafter. I will continue to prioritise the development and improvement of services to victims of domestic and sexual abuse. I am open to suggestions from Deputy Catherine Murphy who has been committed to the improvement of these services for many years.

See this speech in context