Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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Question 401: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will provide extra resources to tackle domestic violence in 2006; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38953/05]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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Funding for the provision of services for women experiencing domestic violence is the responsibility of the Department of Health and Children, while the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government is responsible for the provision of refuges and other emergency accommodation.

The responsibilities of my Department in regard to the crime of domestic violence are for any necessary responses from the civil and criminal justice systems, as well as for any preventive measures, which can be put in place, including intervention programmes for perpetrators of domestic violence and awareness raising measures aimed at changing society's attitude to the crime of domestic violence. My Department also chairs and provides the secretariat for the national steering committee on violence against women. Funding in the Department's Vote for these activities was increased in 2005 by 39% to €1.124 million and will increase again in 2006 to €1.156 million.

A sub-committee of the national steering committee made up of representatives from the Departments I have named, as well as other Departments with a role in this field, has examined the funding arrangements for the sector generally and its report will be taken into consideration in the Departments concerned. The allocation of resources will remain a matter for each Department, in the context of its own Estimates process.