Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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I thank the Ceann Comhairle for putting this matter on the list today and thank the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, who is fully aware of Teach Tearmainn in Kildare, having visited it a number of weeks ago. It was established in 1999 to develop a women and children's domestic violence service in Kildare. It has established and operated successful information, support and counselling services for the past 11 years for women and children from Kildare and its hinterland.

At the behest of the HSE and based on identified needs for service provision and minimum Council of Europe's standards, it began developing a refuge facility in 2001. After many hurdles over the past 11 years, a state-of-the-art purpose-built refuge was completed in January 2012. Teach Tearmainn took ownership of the facility on 17 January 2012. To date, in excess of €900,000 has been spent on the building, the majority of which came from the State. The magnificent facility unfortunately remains unopened today despite the fact it has everything one would need to ensure protection, comfort, assistance and everything else for those unfortunate enough to have to use them. There is CCTV and monitoring.

Since 17 January, a total of 14 women and 37 children from the county have sought refuge there. It is most likely that some of those children still remain at risk. Of these cases, eight were referred from State personnel, such as the Garda, social workers, community welfare officers, etc. At least six women and 16 children from Kildare have received refuge in other parts of the county. One family, I understand, had to go to Kerry. One can imagine the damage that does to a family. They have been taken from their own environs and moved 120 miles away.

The lack of refuges in Kildare further isolates women and children. Children are unable to continue to attend schools and are moved from their friends. It is a huge problem. The international research consistently shows women most at risk of leaving abusive relationships need a conduit of safety. Research shows that increasing women's social support in their localities also increases the capacity to live free from violence.

The board of management of Teach Tearmainn requested funding of €413,000 from the HSE in March 2011 and to date the request has not been answered. I received a number of e-mails in recent weeks stating that the HSE is offering €100,000 to open the facility. As a result of the technicalities, problems and staff required, €100,000 will not be enough to open the facility which was demanded in the first instance by the HSE.

When the key was due to be handed over the HSE determined it had no more funds. A magnificent building is lying idle. I am delighted the Minister of State is in the House because she knows exactly what I am talking about. I cannot understand why, if a commitment like that of the HSE is given to fund a facility, it is not being honoured. I received e-mails from the HSE but those involved in the refuge did not.

We talk about things happening. I cannot understand why permission is given to a group to proceed with a facility when people are being sent to Kerry and the building cannot be opened to allow people in. It is amazing, to say the least.

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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I thank Deputy Wall. Before this ever became an issue he asked me to visit the building. As he has described, it is a building any of us would live in. It is an incredible five-star building. We are not addressing the central issue in the reply but perhaps we can in the supplementary questions.

Domestic violence is a serious health and human rights issue. In March 2010 the Government launched a four year strategy to provide a framework for sustainable intervention to prevent and effectively respond to domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. Cosc is the national office established in 2007 under the aegis of the Department of Justice and Equality to ensure the delivery of the Government's strategy on domestic, sexual and gender-based violence.

The HSE also launched its own policy on domestic, sexual and gender-based violence in 2010. The principal actions of this policy are in line with Government strategy. International and domestic research, as the Deputy said, indicates the health care system is usually the first route through which domestic violence victims seek support. In recognition of this, the HSE has reviewed various models to support staff to recognise, respond and refer appropriately regarding domestic violence.

The HSE, through its primary care and hospital services, manages the significant impact of domestic violence or sexual violence on the health and well-being of victims. HSE staff and allied health professionals provide a range of services to people who experience domestic violence. Nationally, the HSE funds 45 front line domestic violence service providers, of which 20 provide refuge accommodation. The services provide a wide range of supports, such as advocacy and counselling, and were funded to the tune of €14.6 million in 2011, of which €10.4 million was granted to 20 refuges. In addition €4.5 million was provided by the HSE to fund sexual violence services in 2011.

Every HSE region in Ireland has at least one refuge available providing crisis emergency accommodation. All but one, located in the western region, are accessible on a 24 hour basis. There are ten counties in which refuge facilities are not located but the support service providers in these locations may refer clients to refuge services in neighbouring counties. There are currently 138 emergency accommodation units funded by the HSE nationally. These units may offer accommodation to a single client or a client with accompanying children, and are intended to provide emergency or transitional crisis accommodation.

National statistics on domestic violence for 2010 published by Safe Ireland, the national representative body for 39 women's front line domestic violence services, show a substantial increase in demand for services in 2010 compared to 2009. It is within the context of this increased demand for domestic violence services that the HSE is currently in the process of conducting a national and regional review of domestic violence service provision. Its aim is to ensure that funding is allocated according to need and that areas of high demand are appropriately resourced. Findings from the review will inform service development.

I reassure the Deputy that the Government is fully committed to addressing the problems of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence.

Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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That reply certainly did not address my issue on Teach Tearmainn in Kildare. It will make disappointing reading for its board. When will the national review be completed? I understood from the last meeting that it would be completed very soon and that many of the black holes identified, affecting ten counties, would be addressed. Kildare has a facility but the HSE will not give us the money to open the door. Common sense ought to prevail. We cannot continue to spend Exchequer money through the HSE and not use this facility. We have spent almost €1 million on the facility, yet we cannot open it and instead send people to Kerry and elsewhere, at a total loss to the unfortunate families affected. They face extra costs financially and otherwise.

Can the Minister of State arrange a meeting with the Minister for Justice and Equality, the Minister for Health and the HSE to resolve this matter in order to have a beneficial service? It is a matter of seeing results and satisfying the families in question, and of ensuring that only nine of the ten counties will be affected because Kildare will have a facility of which it can be justly proud. The board of management is totally committed to the facility. I thank the Minister of State for her efforts on behalf of the board. We have met with deaf ears in the HSE, unfortunately. Where in the report is the reference to the €100,000 promised for Teach Tearmainn?

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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I thank Deputy Wall. The meeting can be arranged. During the negotiations on the budget, the Minister for Justice and Equality made it quite clear that Teach Tearmainn was one of the issues dealt with in regard to domestic violence. He made it quite clear he intended to invest whatever additional money he could gather into service provision. Service provision at the front line is the key. This can be arranged.

We cannot provide services and then have them funded insufficiently. While there may be some negotiations on funding, negotiations need to take place nevertheless.

On the last occasion on which I answered a question on domestic violence, not necessarily on Teach Tearmainn, I stated this matter lies firmly under the equality remit of the Department of Justice and Equality. Why are we not tackling the abuser? Why are affected women and children being driven from their homes? They have to go to Kerry and other places rather than remain in their own homes, yet we do nothing about the elephant in the room. We continue to pour money into services and the sums invested are significant.

It is never a once-off occasion when one is beaten in one's own home. The problem does not just affect women. Domestic violence is domestic violence and a small, but significant, proportion of men are abused domestically. We must really get serious about it and treat those who commit this heinous crime exactly as one would treat somebody who beat one up going down the street.