Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein)
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96. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the support that his Department is giving in terms of personnel, expertise and resources to the Minister for Justice in order that she can fulfil her duties in regard to supporting victims of domestic violence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51017/22]

Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein)
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This question is in regard to domestic violence, and I am aware that we touched on this issue yesterday in committee. What supports has the Department given in terms of personnel, expertise and resources to the Minister for Justice in order that she can fulfil her duties in regard to supporting victims of domestic violence?

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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As the Deputy knows, the Government has made it clear that addressing domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, DSGBV, is a key priority for us all. This involves a number of Departments working collaboratively, in particular my own Department and that of the Minister for Justice, Deputy McEntee. In that Department, many positive steps have been taken in the fight against domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, including the launch of Zero Tolerance, the third national strategy on domestic, sexual and gender-based violence and the push to establish a new agency under the remit of the Department of Justice to tackle such forms of violence.

My Department established a comprehensive tri-party memorandum of understanding, MoU, with Tusla and the Department of Justice. This MoU and related documents outline the various engagements, at all levels up to and including ministerial and CEO level, between the three bodies to help us to ensure the continued operation of DSGBV services through Tusla during this transition. With significant support from my Department and Tusla, the Department of Justice has engaged in an ambitious programme aiming to: first, establish a statutory DSGBV agency by January 2024 that will be under the remit of the Department of Justice; second, manage the transition to the new agency of the DSGBV services that are currently provided by Tusla; and third, progress the recommendations of the interdepartmental group on the provision of accommodation for victims of DSGBV during the transitional period and in advance of the establishment of the proposed agency. My Department and its officials are very much engaged in this process.

In terms of funding, the recent budget had many competing priorities within my Department. I specifically secured an additional €37 million for Tusla and am currently preparing the performance statement for the Tusla business plan for 2023. The Minister, Deputy McEntee, secured an additional €7 million for Tusla that is specifically for DSGBV services. It is a very significant amount of investment and there is also the Zero Tolerance strategy setting out how we are going to move to this agency and also move to a wider range of measures to tackle DSGBV in the country.

Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein)
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I am delighted to hear that. I referenced this in my reply to the budget speech, in particular in regard to what exactly was the extra funding. It is €7 million, which is very welcome. Is there a breakdown of the funding between refuge space and additional income for refuges such as, for example, the Amber refuge in Kilkenny, which I regularly mention and which the Minister, Deputy McEntee, visited a month ago. I always reference two parts to this, first, counselling and how important that is, and, second, the Zero Tolerance strategy, which is vital to all of this. We are never going to get to the end of why these situations keep happening unless, as a society, we look at this and adopt that kind of approach.

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Over the previous two budgets, I had secured specific increases for Tusla directed specifically to DSGBV services. As the Deputy knows, the Government has made the decision that these services will move out of Tusla to the new agency. In advance of that, the Department of Justice has responsibility for that part of Tusla's operation and that is done through a memorandum of understanding. The Minister, Deputy McEntee, was very successful in securing €7 million to support those services. My understanding is that this is current funding, although I am open to correction. She is also working on a capital programme and, in particular, on better activating the capital assistance scheme, CAS, in the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and making it easier for services to be able to access that.

We have found that it takes too long for a DSGBV NGO or an approved housing body to draw down that funding and deliver the new refuge service. A great deal of work has been done to simplify the process. The Minister for Justice has set out a plan for the much-needed development of new refuge spaces around the country.

Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein)
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I agree with much of the sentiment of the Minister's remarks, particularly around housing. Housing is the reason so many people stay in toxic relationships and keep living with domestic violence. Finding housing is difficult, particularly now. Where can people go? Even if they find somewhere to rent, which is nearly impossible, there can be other difficulties. For example, someone's name could be on a property, which is a complex issue. Getting accommodation depends on who they meet on the day and whether they are open to hearing the people's cases. It is good that this responsibility will rest with the Department of Justice - that is the correct Department for it - and that there will only be one agency.

I will briefly mention a fund provided by Safe Ireland that I only became aware of last year. It allows women to access many services, for example, if they need a fill of oil after finally finding somewhere to live. It is a community welfare-type payment. There is great demand for it and it has been successful. The Minister may not have an answer for me now, but could administering a similar fund be considered?

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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I do not have an answer about that fund, but the Minister for Justice works closely with NGOs, as I did when this matter fell within my remit. She listens to them and works to support their actions, expertise and knowledge on the ground.

Regarding the pressure on refuges, it is worth highlighting two measures, namely, the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill, which we debated yesterday and will debate again today, and the new five days of paid domestic violence leave, which is an important support that recognises that the victims of DSGBV are also likely to fall into poverty. The paid leave provides them with some income support when they are moving or receiving services needed as a result of the violence they have experienced.

The Minister for Justice is examining how we can change laws to ensure that the victim remains in the house and it is the perpetrator who leaves. That is a priority for her.