Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 1027: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number of applications received from support groups seeking to provide refuge facilities for families suffering from domestic violence in each of the past five years; the amount of funding provided; the areas of application; the decisions in relation to each area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14919/07]

Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 1028: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number of applications received by his Department for the provision of funding towards extensions of existing women's refuge centres in all areas for each of the past five years; the funding involved; the amount allocated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14920/07]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1027 and 1028 together.

The Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, which chairs the National Steering Committee on Violence against Women, has overall responsibility for issues relating to violence against women. Capital funding is available through my Department's Capital Assistance Scheme to voluntary housing bodies providing accommodation to meet a range of special housing needs; these include accommodation for the homeless and victims of domestic violence. Given that the accommodation provided by voluntary housing bodies for victims of domestic violence may be multi-purpose or may not be categorised specifically, separate figures are not available for expenditure on accommodation for victims of domestic violence.

Decisions on funding for accommodation of victims of domestic violence, including refuges and transitional accommodation, are matters for the local authority in whose area the accommodation is situated.