Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Browne, to the House to deal with this Topical Issue matter.

Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank the Ceann Comhairle and I thank the Minister of State for being here to discuss this issue. I do not believe there is any dispute. It has been recognised and acknowledged, and the Government is taking action on the geographical lottery in the context of refuge spaces.

I am fortunate enough to represent one of the constituencies with the fastest growing population and our need is very great. I recently visited the Aoibhneas Day Service in Swords, which does absolutely fantastic work. It is working away but it is really under a serious amount of pressure. The nearest refuge to us is in Coolock and, again, that is under pressure. There is, therefore, a very real need.

The reason I raise this issue today is on foot of a response I received from Fingal County Council in which it referred to my representation, which is fair enough, and advised me that the homeless service team is not aware of any vacant properties that may be renovated for a refuge. The need has, therefore, been established. The Tusla review has prioritised Balbriggan as being the place for nine permanent beds plus a multipurpose room. My issue, and the reason I want to put it on the Minister of State's radar, is that accommodation is going to be required given that Fingal County Council has not identified any property. That means that process is now going to be a somewhat protracted. In an ideal world, the council would have written back to me to say it has the property and I would be standing here saying the property is there and we want to move ahead really quickly. What I am hearing from Fingal County Council leads me to understand that this may add to the length.

What I am saying to the Minister of State and the Minister, Deputy McEntee, which I hope the Minister of State will convey, is that we really cannot forward any delays. We need the refuge space now. I am conscious there is a lead-in time where the need has already been identified. I welcome the fact that the Government and Tusla have identified the need. I know there is a commitment to move on this. My fear is that we are about to enter into a very long and protracted process. I want to put on the Minister of State's radar that this is a very serious issue that is placing an awful lot of pressure on services that are already extremely stretched. Women in my constituency have to leave when they are fleeing domestic and gender-based abuse. They have to leave their constituencies and local areas. We know that just adds to the trauma. In an ideal world, obviously, we would be talking about where exactly this is going to go and we are not at that stage yet.

My concern is that Fingal County Council does not have an appropriate site at the moment. I would be grateful for an update on whether the Government is looking at HSE sites or looking to buy property. What stage are we at in terms of the provision of the services? We have happily or unhappily, I suppose, reached the stage where we recognise there is a very real need for this. The Government recognises it and we know it. Certainly, the women working in Aoibhneas will tell the Minister of State that if they had the spaces, unfortunately, they have people to fill those spaces who are in desperate need of that accommodation. We have recognition. We know that we need the spaces. We know the Government has committed to do this. I am looking for a timeline from the Minister of State and also assurances that if Fingal County Council cannot provide the properties, the Government will be in a position to look beyond that.

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy O'Reilly for raising this very important matter around the lack of domestic violence refuge accommodation provision in north County Dublin. It is the stated goal of my Department and this Government that everyone who needs a refuge space will get one. I know the Minister, Deputy McEntee, is deeply committed to working with partners in the sector and with Government colleagues to achieve this.

Tackling domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, DSGBV, in all its forms is a priority for this Government. We are focused on ensuring that people, particularly women and vulnerable people, feel safe and are safe in our communities. As the Deputy will know, the Minister, Deputy McEntee, is currently leading work on a new whole-of-government strategy to combat domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. This new plan will set an overall goal of zero tolerance in our society of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. The Minister is currently working to finalise the strategy for submission to Government in light of submissions received in the final consultative phase, which ended last month. The Minister intends to bring both the finalised strategy and the accompanying action plan to Government in the coming weeks. It has also 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. A detailed plan setting out how this will work is in preparation.

On the specific issue of refuge spaces, earlier this year, the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, and the Minister for Justice 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. It recommended an approach to address gaps highlighted in geographical coverage and inadequate provision of safe accommodation with immediate, medium- and long-term actions required. It also provides a list of priority areas where additional services would address the most immediate need. A minimum of between 50 and 60 new refuge places were identified by the review as a priority, while 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 refuge needs 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 represent areas with the most significant underprovision and represent a starting point to increased refuge spaces comprehensively and in every county across the country. The initial areas identified include Fingal-north Dublin, specifically Balbriggan, where ten family places are suggested as a starting point for prioritisation. As the Deputy pointed out, this includes nine spaces plus a multipurpose room. I understand from Tusla that there ongoing discussions and engagement with key stakeholders locally and Tusla has been available to assist as needed.

Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for the response and update. I would be very grateful if he could take on board and convey to the Minister, Deputy McEntee, that we really need to start planning for this now. The need has been established. As the Minister of State said, my area specifically, that is, Balbriggan, represents an area in which there is a significant underprovision and this is the starting point for an increase in refuges. We have not been prioritised for nothing. We have been prioritised because there is a very significant need. I want to convey to the Minister of State and put on his radar the need for practical planning as well. The need is established. Tusla has established that and I know it is working with the stakeholders. I know that some work is ongoing. My concern is about when we come to a physical space and how that may delay things. It will be no harm for that work to start as well as the other work with Tusla.

When we talk to organisations like Aoibhneas, they will tell us. Aoibhneas goes above and beyond. The Minister of State will be familiar with its work in his own area. The staff really they stretch themselves, their services and the resources they have. The need is already there. I want to convey to the Minister of State the need for planning to start now for where this will be physically located. It would be different if we were having discussion about whether we needed it or whether the Minister of State was convinced the numbers were required. That discussion has been had, however. We need to move very swiftly now into the planning phase, which will involve finding a premises. It is the really practical issue of finding a premises in a town that has a high population and a fair amount of building work going on. The fact is that Fingal County Council does not have anything. My concern would be that maybe there is a belief that it might be able to come up with something. It said it cannot so the need would be to look elsewhere.

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I again thank Deputy O'Reilly bringing up this very important matter. As the Deputy rightly pointed out, the need has been identified, as has the prioritisation. We now need to get to the implementation and delivery side of this. I will certainly raise the Deputy’s concerns with the Minister, Deputy McEntee, when I am talking to her about this situation.

In my own county of Wexford, a tender has now been agreed for 12 spaces for the Wexford Women's Refuge. The sense of confidence that has given to the voluntary group down there has been phenomenal. It has been welcomed by the Wexford Rape Crisis centre as well. Both of those organisations provide phenomenal support. I know not every constituency in every country has been lucky enough to have that support in place. It can be very challenging for voluntary groups and organisations to be able to get up and going with that type of service despite the real need and the will and determination. As I said, I have certainly heard the Deputy's concerns around delivering these refuge spaces for Balbriggan. They are absolutely needed. I will raise those concerns with the Minister, Deputy McEntee, about how to get those spaces delivered as quickly as possible. The real win here will be when these can be delivered and provided on the ground in those areas.

It is traumatic enough when people, in most cases women, have to flee domestic violence, but if they then have to leave their area, perhaps to one they do not know and are not familiar with, it will only add to that level of trauma. I will convey the Deputy's concerns to the Minister.