Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 410: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform when he expects to establish a domestic violence prevention office for victims of domestic abuse; when he plans to set up the domestic violence fund; and the approximate amount to be placed in the fund. [15471/09]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The Government's commitment to tackling domestic violence is reflected in the establishment in June, 2007 of Cosc, the National Office for the Prevention of Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence. Cosc's key responsibility is to ensure the delivery of a well co-ordinated "whole of Government" response to domestic, sexual and gender-based violence.

Cosc's current priority is to produce a National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence. This strategy will set out the policy on addressing the forms of violence concerned as well as the preventative and responsive actions to be taken by a broad range of organisations to ensure a well co-ordinated system is in place. Work on preparing the strategy is well advanced. There was a good response to a call for submissions in the middle of last year and a round of regional consultations with Non-Government Organisations took place at the end of 2008. The details of the Strategy are currently being progressed with the help of Cosc's State and NGO partners. Cosc has also commenced a research project to map the relevant services currently available in Ireland for victims of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence and this work will also inform the strategy. The commitments in the Programme for Government in relation to domestic violence are being addressed in the context of work on the national strategy.