Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)

Gabhaim buíochas leis na Seanadóirí. Déanaim comhghairdeas leis an Seanadóir Stephenson as an mBille seo. Nílimid i gcoinne an Bhille. Táim an-soiléir faoi sin ach tá a lán obair le déanamh againn. Those who know me will know I am not in the business of putting things on the long finger. I want this to work but I want to make sure it is workable and practical. That is why we have proposed a timed amendment. We have a work plan as part of that. This is not kicking the can down the road and saying that no work will be done for 12 months. I will go through that with the Senators. I commend Senator Stephenson and congratulate her on her first Bill. I welcome her colleagues from the Lower House. I look forward to working with her on a lot of issues. I assure the House that this is a priority for the Government but I want to make sure it is practical and can be implemented meaningfully and rapidly.

We already provide a range of services and supports for victims of domestic violence through a number of Government Departments. The most important thing is that we integrate any new services such as this in an effective manner. Cuan was established as a response to those who looked for a joined-up service. It was established by the Minister, Deputy McEntee, to tackle and reduce domestic and gender-based violence. It has been given the very specific remit of delivering services and supports to victims of domestic violence. Since its establishment, it has been working hard to deliver on that remit. Budget 2026 has allocated over €80 million to Cuan and other services that are supporting victims and survivors of gender-based and domestic violence.

While it may seem simple to add a short-term free travel option for victims of domestic violence onto one of the existing free travel schemes, for example, the scheme for recipients of long-term social welfare payments, it may be more appropriate and speedier and provide a better solution for those victims of domestic violence to offer this option as part of a package of services and supports provided through Cuan. This would mean service users seeking support with transport costs could do so through the existing service providers supported by Cuan. These providers are experts in the field of domestic violence and are already helping victims with accommodation and other services. That is why I am putting forward a timed amendment. It is not about opposing or delaying the Bill. We want to do this in the best way possible. The timed amendment will allow time to explore options with all of the relevant service providers and stakeholders to ultimately provide the best solution we can.

In putting forward the timed amendment, I note that what is proposed in the Bill is a short-term scheme linked and limited to specific domestic violence offences. The scheme the Senator is proposing is very different from the free travel scheme that is funded and operated by the Department of Social Protection. That scheme is designed to support recipients of long-term social welfare payments and is provided as a service feature on the qualifying persons public services card. It is not time-limited. The entitlement is not separately assessed but is automatically enabled once a person is in receipt of the underlying payment. The free travel functionality is attached to the card and is integrated into the tap-and-pay terminals of most transport operators. What Senator Stephenson is proposing is essentially a short-term travel card option that is not associated with a welfare payment. Entitlement conditions would have to be established and eligibility to access this free travel entitlement would be assessed by a competent provider. It is not clear whether this would be best delivered by the Department of Social Protection rather than a service provider supported by Cuan. As I have said, services for victims of domestic violence are co-ordinated by Cuan and, regardless of where and who we reach through front-line providers, Cuan will be centrally involved in my work on this matter.

Senator Harmon spoke about the scheme in Northern Ireland. I want to look at that scheme and to incorporate elements here to ensure there are no differences between the schemes. We must also look at transport providers. A number of Senators who spoke are from rural constituencies. We know the difficulties there are in accessing rural transport rapidly. Taxis are not necessarily available in rural areas in the way they are in cities. Every other service is timetabled. However, the new TFI Anseo service is being trialled in a number of places. This provides a daily service for much longer. We want to engage with Local Link operators as to how we can provide services that would be needed urgently in these areas.

I assure the Senator of my support for the Bill but I need time to work through the logistics. I assure her it is not being put on the long finger. This is an urgent situation for those seeking to flee. They need support and confidence that the support is there. It is most important that we do not make supports available only for them not to work when a person needs them, often at very short notice. We accept the principle of the Bill but I want to make sure that, when we expand this service, it will work and that, when a woman needs it urgently, she will know it will be there for her. There is no sense in giving the benefit if we cannot provide an accessible service. I want to make sure that happens on the ground. Many Senators have spoken about the lack of refuge services in many areas. We want to make sure that, when somebody makes this incredibly brave and very difficult decision, transport will be there if they need it. That is the kind of work I want to do.The timed amendment is 12 months but I assure the Senator that we will have a lot of work done quickly on this. We are engaged with senior officials’ groups, and we will engage with Cuan and a number of providers as to how we can quickly move this on.

While we do that, my Department continues to support initiatives to help victims of domestic violence. Easier access to the rent supplement scheme is available to victims of domestic violence. A protocol to assist victims of domestic violence in accessing the rent supplement was introduced in August 2020. As part of the protocol, the accommodation needs of victims of domestic violence are met through a joined-up service delivery model provided by Cuan, with the close involvement of the various housing authorities nationwide. In that case, as officers in my Department are not qualified to adjudicate on domestic violence cases, we have established a protocol based on a referral system by Cuan, or by prescribed and State-funded service providers authorised by Cuan. This provides victims of domestic violence with a fast-track approval and screening process, with a simplified means test to get immediate access to rent supplement, so they are not prevented from leaving their home because of financial concerns. In this case, my Department is involved because it funds and provides the rent supplement.

This model may work for a free travel option but, in fact, it may be possible to introduce a simpler approach that does not require multiple handovers, where the service providers themselves can issue a free travel card. I want to take the time to explore this option further, and I had discussions this afternoon with officials as to how that might look and work. It could be done relatively quickly as opposed to establishing a whole new scheme and entitlement. We will engage with Cuan and the Senator on that. I want to make it very clear that my door is always open for engagement pre-legislation and post legislation. Any of our engagements will involve the Senator and the colleagues in her group.

We continue to provide additional needs payments as part of the supplementary welfare allowance. Those payments are available through the community welfare officers. We are moving many of our services online to give people that confidential option of seeking that service online and not having to engage with somebody they may know in their community to seek those supports. Through mywelfare.ie, that kind of support will be available to give the person further confidence in this regard. We often use additional needs payments to assist victims of domestic violence. Travel supplements are being paid in exceptional circumstances where a person has a recurring travel expense but does not have sufficient resources. Those supports are available. I will provide a summary of the supports to all Senators so they have access to that information.

I assure the Senator that I am not opposing this Bill in its intent. I want to make it practical. I want to work with the Senator and the providers in this space. I want to work especially with Cuan. We have already tasked a senior officials’ group of the Government to look at the Bill and get working on it. I am working with the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, in the Department of Transport, which has been assigned responsibility for this within the domestic violence strategy.

I have not worked with Senator Stephenson before. The Senators in the House who have worked with me know that I will not tell you I can do it if I cannot do it. If I am saying it is a timed amendment, I am not saying that I am not going to talk to the Senator for 12 months. The work is getting under way as to how we make this happen and action this, but I share the Senator’s intent and ambition. However, there is no sense in us passing legislation unless it can actually work on the ground, and unless, when somebody needs that service, the service is available to them at the point at which they need it.

A transport service is essential for many when they make that decision. Senator Ryan spoke about Cork North-West. I want to make sure that when people need it, it is there and it works. That is why I reiterate my intention to engage with Senator Stephenson and, most importantly, with Cuan and the providers in this space, so we can provide a system that works when somebody needs it. If it is not there, if we provide the entitlement and it is not there when somebody needs it, that would be a worse situation.