Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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183. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his views on the 20% funding reduction fromTúsla - Child and Family Agency; if there has been a study by his Department on the impact it will have on women's aid services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25379/15]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, is the statutory body with responsibility for providing effective responses to survivors of domestic and sexual violence. The Agency’s key priority is to ensure that the needs of survivors are met in the best way possible. Accordingly, the 2015 budget is directed towards protecting front-line services for survivors.

Tusla has undertaken a comprehensive review of the domestic, sexual and gender based violence services, in consultation with service providers. Tusla recognises and values the important work being undertaken by these organisations, and the considerable efforts they make to maintain services in the face of funding and other challenges. The review found that despite these efforts, service delivery is fragmented, with inequity in the accessibility of services across different areas. There was also some duplication and overlap in training provision. Tusla’s aim is to put these services on a more sustainable footing.

For the first time domestic and sexual violence services are being developed as a specialist national service with a single line of accountability and a dedicated national budget of €19.5m, in 2015. A roadmap for the future of service delivery has been approved by Tusla’s Board. The Government’s priority is to protect frontline services, and that is what Tusla is endeavouring to do. A key concern in the context of domestic violence is to address the needs of children who witness violence in the family and home setting.

Tusla has allocated funding of €600,000 to Women’s Aid in 2015, to maintain current frontline service provision, including the development of Women’s Aid national domestic violence helpline. Women’s Aid receives funding from a number of government sources for the services it provides, including €157,914 over a two year period from the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government; and €140,000 – an increase of €60,000 in 2015 – from the Department of Justice and Equality for the awareness raising and court accompaniment services. Women's Aid has expressed concern over the reduction in funding by Tusla, and I met recently with the Chairperson and Chief Executive to hear their perspective on the impact of the reduction and to discuss plans for the future development of services in this important area. My own Department has not undertaken a study on the impact of funding reductions to Women’s Aid.

A joint delivery model of domestic violence training to Tusla and HSE staff, and other relevant groups, will continue in 2015. Tusla training staff co-deliver this programme in partnership with domestic violence service providers in local areas; child protection and welfare issues are addressed in this context. Tusla continues to give full consideration to domestic violence training needs, so as to achieve the most sustainable and effective approach capable of delivering the best outcomes for survivors of domestic violence throughout the country.

Tusla recognises the valuable work of Women’s Aid, and other organisations providing services in this area. Tusla is actively engaging with the organisation on services and funding for 2015, and is committed to continuing to work in partnership with Women’s Aid and the wider domestic violence services sector into the future.