Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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I raise the absence of any accommodation in the midlands for victims of domestic violence. Nine counties do not have any such accommodation, including Laois and Offaly. Children and victims are sent as far as three counties away, to Limerick, to domestic violence refuges. More than 100 families went from Laois alone last year. This cannot continue. There is a shortage of places in the State overall. We need to increase the numbers of beds and accommodation. We all know that people are at their most vulnerable when fleeing domestic violence. The victims often feel they have no option but to return. People working with them will say as much. The Minister of State, Deputy James Browne, knows as a public representative that they will sometimes return to the family home where they have been abused. The abuse then continues. This can be repeated several times due to the lack of real alternatives. That cycle has to be broken.

This is the third decade in which I have raised the lack of facilities in Laois and Offaly. Marna Carroll and her team in the Laois domestic abuse service have called for this. We urgently need a domestic violence refuge in County Laois. In Offaly, Anne Clarke is manager of the Offaly domestic violence support services, which badly needs facilities. It uses a different model, which it calls three safe houses, in Birr, Tullamore and Edenderry, because of the geography of the county. It tries to work in partnership with the county council, but it needs the Government's backing and support.

I welcome the review that the Government published, but it tells us the obvious, which I or people who work in the service could have said. It states that nine counties do not have services and that there are huge geographical gaps, including in the midlands. I appeal to the Minister of State to address this. Provision is totally inadequate. There is no provision across the midlands for those victims. The State does not have enough spaces overall. I see the Minister of State's reply indicates that the lack of overall spaces will be addressed. The middle of the country is without any facilities. Those three safe houses are needed in Offaly. Laois has a different model, with a domestic violence refuge. It is a good match between the two counties. A high-level interdepartmental working group has been set up to review the current system of provision of refuge spaces. I am concerned that this could go on for years. We need to simplify it.

A number of Departments are involved here. We sometimes talk about bringing in all the stakeholders, consulting everybody and getting everybody involved. There is an old saying that when everybody is responsible, nobody is responsible. I am concerned that Tusla, the Department of Justice and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth are all involved, but somebody needs to catch the bull by the horns to steer this and drive it on. This has been going on for years. As we talk here this morning, there are people who have just fled domestic violence situations. The murder of Ashling Murphy brought home the nature of violence against women. I know that was not domestic violence, but it reinforced in people's heads the need to urgently address this. There are real situations with families every day of the week. I do not think anybody in the House would disagree with what is needed. We need to get on with it.

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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I thank Deputy Stanley for raising this important matter regarding the need for domestic violence accommodation in Laois and the midlands. I reiterate that it is my goal and that of the Minister for Justice, Deputy McEntee, that everyone who needs a refuge space will get one. I am familiar with the Wexford women's refuge and the Wexford rape crisis centre, and the great work done by both those bodies, so I understand the real importance of this. The Minister, Deputy McEntee is deeply committed to working with partners in the sector and with Government colleagues to achieve this. This Government has prioritised tackling domestic, sexual and gender-based violence in all its forms, and ensuring that people, particularly women and vulnerable people, feel safe and are safe in our communities.

As the Deputy is aware, the Minister, Deputy McEntee is leading work on a new whole-of-government strategy to combat domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. This new plan will have a particular focus on prevention and on ensuring victims are better supported. It is the Minister's intention to publish the final strategy and accompanying action plan as soon as possible in the coming weeks. The Ministers, Deputies O'Gorman and McEntee, commissioned an independent audit of how responsibility for domestic, sexual and gender-based violence is segmented across the Government. On foot of this, it has been agreed that the Department of Justice will assume responsibility for services for victims of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, in addition to policy responsibility and overall cross-Government co-ordination of implementation. I hope that answers Deputy Stanley's concern about no one taking a lead on this. The Department of Justice has been assigned for the lead for services as well as policy responsibility. A detailed plan about how this will work is being prepared.

On the specific issue of refuge spaces, in February, the Ministers, Deputies O'Gorman and McEntee, published the review by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, of accommodation for victims of domestic violence. The review highlights gaps in geographical coverage and inadequate provision of safe accommodation, including refuges, to meet population needs. Many Deputies have raised those gaps.

Having it clearly in writing is important so we can put an implementation plan in place.

The review recommended an approach to address this issue with immediate, medium and long-term actions required and provided a list of priority areas where additional services would address the most immediate need. While the review states a minimum of between 50 and 60 new refuge places are needed as a priority, further analysis has identified ten locations nationwide where the delivery of 82 family refuge spaces would have the most impact if prioritised. These locations and this refuge need have been chosen on the basis of required proximity to a refuge, as well as a need for refuge spaces per head of population in densely populated areas. These are the areas with the most significant under-provision and are a starting point for increasing refuge spaces comprehensively and in every county across the country. The initial areas identified in the Tusla review include Portlaoise, where eight family places are suggested as a starting point for prioritisation.

Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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I thank the Minister of State for his reply. Yesterday, an extra €46,000 of taxpayers' money was allocated for the centre in Portlaoise. That is welcome because the services there are stretched. I agree that prevention is key. We need to reduce the amount of domestic violence and change attitudes and culture in society. However, we also have to live in the here and now. I welcome that the Tusla review recommends eight family places for Portlaoise. That is suggested for prioritisation and as a starting point. That is good news and I welcome that confirmation.

Ten locations nationwide have been identified for 82 family refuge spaces. That is a positive step, as is the fact that one Department will be in charge of this. It was a concern of mine up to now that it would move between Departments and different State agencies. The important thing now is that we move on with this without delay. Delivery takes a long time in this country but when the State wants to do something and push things on, whether schools or whatever else, they can be progressed very quickly in certain cases. I ask that this be given high priority by the Government. The Minister of State said the Minister has made it a priority and I welcome that. It is very positive. The Opposition will certainly welcome it as well because there is consensus on this matter and it needs to be addressed.

There are three safe houses in Offaly. That is a different model. It is the county next door but it would work to have one house in Birr, one in Tullamore and one in Edenderry and then the domestic violence refuge service in Laois catering for that huge midlands area. Can the Minister of State give a guarantee that his Department will examine that and help in any way it can?

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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I again thank Deputy Stanley for raising this very important matter around the need for domestic violence refuge accommodation. The Minister fully acknowledges the need to dramatically increase the provision of domestic violence accommodation and refuge spaces right across the country. While I agree that prevention is key, I also acknowledge the Deputy's point that priority must be given to the here and now, to people who need those safe spaces. That is why the Minister has identified ten priority areas to provide refuges right across the country and Portlaoise is one of those ten. There will now be engagement, not only at ministerial level but at a local level as well, to identify how that can be delivered on the ground and as quickly as possible, falling within the established guidelines of the interdepartmental working group. Tusla will continue to engage with stakeholders on all aspects of service development as part of its current remit to support the provision of services to victims of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence.

On the situation in Offaly, I do not have the information to hand but I will bring those three safe houses to the Minister's attention and get a response for the Deputy on that matter.