Seanad debates

Thursday, 9 February 2017

Commencement Matters

Rape Crisis Network Funding

10:30 am

Photo of Martin ConwayMartin Conway (Fine Gael)
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I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, to the House. It is my first opportunity since he was appointed Minister of State to formally congratulate him. He has already hit the ground running with his very important junior ministerial role. I wish him well and continued success with that.

I tabled this Commencement matter following a Clare FM "Morning Focus" investigation into domestic violence and abuse in County Clare. For a week after Christmas, Clare FM carried interviews with people involved in the Rape Crisis Midwest, specifically people involved in the services in County Clare, and spoke to victims of sexual abuse. I would like to take this opportunity to commend the two victims who went on the record and shared their stories with Ms Fiona McGarry and Mr. Gavin Grace on Clare FM. Their bravery is going to give other people encouragement to come forward and speak out.

During the week long Clare FM investigation into sexual abuse in Clare, the issue of funding for the Rape Crisis Midwest was starkly illustrated. There is a service in County Clare and I would like to commend the people involved for that. Unfortunately, in 2016, there were a number of a weeks where the service being provided in Ennis had to be suspended due to funding issues. The private sector came on board to provide funding to redevelop the office and ensure there were adequate office facilities and rooms where people who had been abused could have counselling and where people working with Rape Crisis Midwest could do the very important work they do in a comfortable and safe environment.

The Rape Crisis Midwest has to do extensive fund-raising to bridge a gap that exists between the funding that it is getting from the State and the funding required to run the service. Unfortunately, in 2016, there were pressures on the service and there was an unfortunate period of time where the service could not be provided due to lack of resources. This should not happen again and the service should be available in Ennis all the time. That should be guaranteed. Funding should not be an issue for providing the service in Ennis, County Clare.

Rape Crisis Midwest has also identified the need to provide counselling services and supports in other parts of Clare, specifically in west Clare. It has proposals to establish an outreach service in the Kilrush area of County Clare, which would serve all west Clare, as a starting point for expanding the service and ensuring that more people who have been the victims of sexual abuse will come forward and seek the necessary counselling to help in the healing process.

There are many victims out there who have not spoken to anybody and who are suffering in silence on a daily basis. I encourage victims all over the country but, in particular, in County Clare, about which we are speaking, to go to the Rape Crisis Network, seek its services and engage with it, and life will begin to improve.

I appeal to the Minister to provide the necessary funding so that the Rape Crisis Midwest can keep its facility in Ennis open all year round and also provide the very important outreach services that it has identified a need for in west Clare.

Photo of Eoghan MurphyEoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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I welcome the opportunity to respond to the issue raised by Senator Conway on behalf on my colleague, the Minister, Deputy Zappone.

Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, has statutory responsibility for the care and protection of victims of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence whether in the context of the family or otherwise. At all times, Tusla’s key priority is to ensure that the needs of victims of violence are being met in the best way possible. A network of 60 organisations provide services to victims of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence in Ireland, including 20 services providing emergency refuge accommodation to women and children, 24 community-based domestic violence services and 16 rape crisis centres.

The Child and Family Agency has developed a more co-ordinated approach to the provision of these services with a single line of accountability and greater support and oversight of service provision by a dedicated national team. In 2016, TusIa had available to it a budget of €20.6 million to support the provision of services in this area. Last year, the 16 rape crisis centres around the country received just over €4 million in funding from Tusla. Additional funding of over €100,000 was made available to rape crisis and sexual violence services in 2016 to address sustainability issues and enhance access with provision of additional outreach services.

Rape Crisis Midwest is based in Limerick city and has centres in Ennis, County Clare, and in Nenagh, County Tipperary. It provides counselling services for survivors of sexual violence throughout the mid-west and also provides information, helpline and advocacy services. Tusla allocated €346,000 in funding to Rape Crisis Midwest in 2016. The level of funding available to Tusla in 2017 for domestic, sexual and gender based violence services is being further increased. This is to be welcomed. Tusla is currently finalising arrangements for the publication of its 2017 business plan. The business plan will confirm details of the funding allocation for these important services in 2017. Tusla is currently engaging with organisations in the sexual violence services sector regarding funding and service arrangements for 2017, and will be confirming funding to individual organisations, including Rape Crisis Midwest, in due course.

As part of its commissioning approach to developing services, Tusla is identifying priority developments and undertaking work to match needs with services for victims and survivors of sexual violence across the country. Access to support services for victims and survivors of rape and sexual violence will be considered as part of commissioning processes, with a particular focus on equitable responses to those who experience sexual violence. The Minister, Deputy Zappone, has emphasised to Tusla the priority that she attaches to the provision of services for those impacted by sexual violence. She has communicated this priority as part of the annual performance statement, which issues to Tusla and which informs the preparation and content of Tusla’s business plan.In conclusion, the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy Zappone, has asked me to assure the House that the Government and Tusla are strongly committed to providing effective responses to victims of sexual violence.

Photo of Martin ConwayMartin Conway (Fine Gael)
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That is a very positive statement on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Zappone, with regard to her direction to Tusla and what she sees as the priority. I agree with the Minister about the need to provide support to people who have been abused and encouraging them to come forward and to ensure the mechanisms are there to provide support for victims in rural areas as well as urban areas. There are myriad challenges facing rural people, particularly in respect of transportation, rural isolation and not having the necessary support to come forward and seek help. The service Rape Crisis Midwest is proposing in terms of an outreach facility in Kilrush is critical. Will the Minister of State, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, reiterate to the Minister the importance of providing this facility and this service and that she should direct Tusla's that these would be included as part of its business plan and negotiations for its service level agreements with the Rape Crisis Midwest? This should be stipulated and the funds should be made available to provide for it.

I thank the Minister of State for taking the time to respond to what has become a vocal campaign for the service in County Clare. It is important we acknowledge the people who are doing great work, particularly the counsellors, and the victims who have come forward. We should also acknowledge the very important work Clare FM has done in highlighting this.

Photo of Eoghan MurphyEoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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I thank Senator Conway for bringing the important matter of funding and services in the mid-west to the Minister's attention. I did not hear the radio programme which he has referred to but clearly it was a very important programme in Clare. I hope the bravery of the people who went on air and told their stories will result in better, and enhanced provision of, services in the area. Senator Conway has made it very clear that there is case for this. I will convey what he has said directly to the Minister. I commend him for raising this issue and for being a strong advocate for these services, which are so important for the mid-west.

Sitting suspended at 11.15 a.m. and resumed at 11.30 a.m.