Alison Comyn (Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister of State for addressing this really serious issue. It is actually a follow-on from a call I made yesterday to the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to assist in move-on accommodation for survivors of domestic violence. This urgent issue needs multi-departmental collaboration. To our shame, hundreds of women and children all over the country are leaving abusive homes or situations, seeking safety in refuges and trying to rebuild their lives but they are facing a really uncertain future because there is simply nowhere for them to go after they leave the refuge. At the same time, the State through the Criminal Assets Bureau is seizing millions of euro worth of assets from criminal activity every year. That raises a very simple question. Why are we not using some of those proceeds more directly to support the very people whose lives have been damaged by violence, intimidation and abuse?

Refuges do extraordinary work - they save lives - but they are not designed for long-term living. Across the country, women and children are ready to move on and rebuild their lives but cannot do so because suitable accommodation simply is not available. This gap is not just a housing issue; it is a justice issue as well. What I am proposing is practical and achievable. We should examine how assets seized by the Criminal Assets Bureau could help fund move-on accommodation for women and children leaving these domestic abuse refuges. This is about making crime pay back. Money generated through exploitation and harm should be used to provide safety stability and a fresh start for those who have experienced that harm. We already have a system that removes wealth from criminal hands. The question now is whether some of that wealth can be redirected in a way that delivers a clear and visible social benefit. Even if it is not the actual house itself, a modest allocation from the proceeds could help local authorities and approved housing bodies deliver move-on accommodation. It would ease pressure on the refuges, free up emergency spaces and, most importantly, give women and children the stability they need to rebuild their lives.

There are international examples of this approach. In Italy, assets seized from organised crime have been repurposed for community use. On a recent visit to Lusaka in Zambia, I learned that with the assistance of our own embassy there, accommodation for vulnerable women has been supported through properties confiscated from organised crime gangs. That is where I got the idea for this. We do not need to replicate those models but we can certainly take inspiration from them because here in Ireland we already have structures in place but what is needed now is a policy decision and that collaboration through the Departments of housing, justice and possibly health.

I welcomed the continued investment in refuges around the country, including the confirmation yesterday of a refuge for Cavan and Monaghan, but we must also complete the next step of that journey. I am also working with the Departments of housing and health on how vacant or derelict buildings, particularly over-the-shop premises in our towns and villages, could potentially be used for this accommodation. Even unused HSE buildings could be used.

Making crime pay should mean taking assets from the criminals and restoring dignity, safety and opportunity to those victims and survivors of domestic abuse along with the victims of more and more human trafficking. I am asking the Minister to examine this proposal and consider how the proceeds of crime can be used in a more directed, targeted and impactful way to help these women and children in crisis and to rebuild their lives

Jerry Buttimer (Cork South-Central, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Senator for raising this important matter and congratulate her on her briefing in the audiovisual room yesterday. Well done to her for her advocacy. I know she had 14 ambassadors in support but she is right. Refuges save lives but they are not for long-term living. I share completely her views. The Minister sends his apologies for being unable to be here today. He thanks the Senator for raising the important matter of the examination of the use of properties seized by the Criminal Assets Bureau as move-on accommodation for women and children leaving domestic, sexual and gender-based violence refuges.

The Government fully recognises the importance of ensuring that victims of domestic violence have access not only to emergency refuge spaces but also to safe and sustainable accommodation options when they leave those settings. The transition from refuge accommodation to independent living is a crucial stage and ensuring appropriate supports at that point remains a priority across Government. This is reflected in the actions set out in the zero tolerance strategy on domestic, sexual and gender-based violence.

In relation to the specific proposal raised, the Minister advises that the use of property seized by the Criminal Assets Bureau for move-on accommodation is not currently under consideration from a policy perspective. It is also important to emphasise that the safety of victims of domestic violence underpins the development of all accommodation responses. In that context, the repurposing of properties, including those seized by the Criminal Assets Bureau, may not be capable of meeting the necessary security, confidentiality and suitability requirements.

That said, it is important to recognise the contribution that proceeds of crime already make to community supports. Funds generated through the Criminal Assets Bureau are channelled into the community safety fund, which supports a wide range of projects aimed at enhancing community safety and supporting vulnerable groups. A number of these projects directly support services for victims of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence.

There is also ongoing and significant work across government to increase safe accommodation capacity for victims of domestic violence. This includes continued investment in refuge development and provision designed to assist survivors before they move toward independent living.In addition, significant progress is being made through interdepartmental collaboration between Cuan, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, and local authorities. The review of the 2017 policy and procedure guidance for housing authorities in relation to assisting victims of domestic violence with emergency and long-term accommodation needs is currently under development by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

The Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration and Cuan welcome the review and update of the 2017 guidance, which prioritises both emergency and long-term accommodation needs for households affected by domestic abuse and violence. A key objective for Cuan is to establish a system for collecting and reporting data on the needs and outcomes of households identified as victims of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence across local authority areas. This data will provide an evidence base to inform the development of services in Cuan's national services development plan.

Cuan continues to enhance its partnership with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage in the roll-out of this guidance and to identify opportunities for strengthening its implementation throughout the sector. Taken together, these measures demonstrate a sustained commitment across government to strengthening the accommodation pathway for victims of domestic violence. While the specific proposal relating to Criminal Assets Bureau-seized property is not under active consideration, the Government remains focused on expanding safe, appropriate and timely housing options through existing mechanisms and developing policy. I will certainly bring back the remarks the Senator made this morning. There is much merit in what she suggests. I commend her on her work and ongoing advocacy. It is a very important issue on which we must continue to shine a light, and we must also provide a range of sustained solutions as she proffered this morning.

Alison Comyn (Fianna Fail)
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Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit. I thank him for his comprehensive response and his own personal comments. I note that the mechanism is not currently under consideration from a policy perspective but let us begin the conversation to make that a possibility. I would also argue that these houses would possibly be more than ample in terms of security for these women and children.

We are doing really well providing refuges; it is not the refuges, it is the post-refuge care that we need. We need a multi-pronged approach. It will take the Departments of housing and justice, and possibly other Departments, to come together and start planning for this eventuality because while we are building social housing as fast as we can, it is not fast enough for some of these women who need to move on and rebuild their lives, and then other women can move into the refuges. I appreciate the Minister of State's comments on that, but we need to focus more right across the Departments on how we can support these women. I would like to see more focus from the Departments of justice and housing on the third phase of the rehabilitation for these women and children.

Jerry Buttimer (Cork South-Central, Fine Gael)
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I again thank Senator Comyn for raising the matter. She is right. She has initiated the conversation here. She is also right about post-refuge care and a move towards independent living. She eloquently outlined it. I agree that it a multi-sectoral, multi-Department and multi-agency approach is required. I know the work that is being done in my city of Cork. It is a whole-of-community response - the Government, the local HSE and other agencies are involved, including the Department of justice. Senator Comyn is correct that the whole focus needs to be put on it. As the Minister stated in his reply, which I am delivering on his behalf, while the mechanism is not being actively considered, it is important that the Government is fully committed to ensuring that survivors of domestic violence have access to safe, secure and appropriate accommodation at every stage of their recovery and transition. I assure the Senator that the Department and the Government look forward to working with her to keep the person, the woman and the family at the very heart and core of what we are talking about this morning. I thank her again for raising this matter.