Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to reply to this Adjournment matter and to update the Seanad on the Government's approach to strengthening the provision of domestic and sexual violence services. Domestic and sexual-based violence is a multifaceted problem which can have a devastating effect on both the victims and the wider community. While overall responsibility policy in this area rests with my colleague, the Minister for Justice and Equality, the new Child and Family Agency which is under my remit has specific responsibility for funding rape crisis centres and refuges previously funded by the HSE. I thank Members of this House for their support in passing the Child and Family Agency Act. The agency was formally established on 1 January 2014.

The Government decision to establish the agency was informed by the work of the task force which I established in September 2011 and which reported in July 2012. The task force considered that domestic and sexual violence services should form an integral part of the remit of the new agency due to the significant impact of domestic violence on the welfare of children.

This recommendation was borne out by the findings of the pilot phase report of the national audit of neglect, published last June, which highlighted domestic violence as a significant contributor in child neglect cases. The 2012 independent report on child deaths further illustrated how many troubled teenagers who demonstrated high-risk and challenging behaviour grew up in chaotic households where domestic violence was prevalent. The prevention and disruption of domestic violence, while being essential in protecting and support the abused partner, should and must be recognised as part of the continuum of protection and welfare, including prevention, early intervention and family support. It is a critical issue which must be addressed. All the information suggests that domestic violence is a key issue for child protection and welfare in this country. Such cases are presenting to the child welfare services.

The recommendations of the task force on domestic and sexual violence services was accepted by the Government and reflected in the provisions of the Child and Family Agency Act 2013. The functions of the agency include responsibility for the care and protection of victims of domestic, sexual or gender-based violence, whether in the family or otherwise.

The Senator has requested an analysis of the expenditure. Increased funding has been provided over the years. In 2013 the HSE spent approximately €17.4 million on the provision of domestic and sexual violence services.

I shall give a breakdown of the most recent figures that I have for 2013 which includes funding for 60 services throughout the country as follows: 20 crisis refuges at a cost of almost €10 million per year; 16 rape crisis centres at a cost of over €4 million; and 24 support services at a cost of almost €3.5 million. I wish to pay tribute to the many staff who work in those services and without question they are very dedicated.

The establishment of the agency will allow for a more dedicated focus on the issue. The agency has been established separate from the HSE to allow a more dedicated focus on all of the issues. There will an ongoing and more focused implementation of the 2010 HSE policy on domestic, sexual and gender-based violence.

Clearly the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government also supports refuges where beds are allocated to homeless women and children. Recent statistics have become available to me that suggest about 2,000 children, in the course of any one year, will spend some time in a refuge. That is a significant number of children to be affected. Of course the policy that we ought to have and need to have in the first instance, where possible, is to provide support to women and children to remain in their homes and have the appropriate use of the law.

Due to the complex nature of the issues involved in domestic and sexual-based violence, and the need for a co-ordinated response, Cosc - the National Office for the Prevention of Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence - was established as an executive office of the Department of Justice and Equality in 2007. Cosc has formulated a comprehensive cross-Government strategy that combines the efforts of many different organisations and individuals to combat the issue. The strategy will run until 2014. There will be a new cross-cutting strategy that will ensure that a range of Departments and organisations work effectively in the area. Quite a number of new initiatives have been established recently. For example, four new co-ordinators have been appointed to work with offenders regarding sexual abuse. In addition, there are four regional co-ordinators that will help people who have suffered sexual violence. The HSE is in the process of appointing the eight positions which will help to co-ordinate services.

We are at the point where we have the right structures in place to drive forward the much needed reform of children and family services. We will adopt a cross-Government approach to ensure that we deliver a comprehensive and integrated service to vulnerable children and their families. This will require the support of various Departments and agencies and the support of society in general.