Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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357. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the amount her Department spent on funding for women's refuges in 2015. [12027/16]

Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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358. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the amount she has allocated to spend on women's refuges in 2016. [12028/16]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 357 and 358 together.

Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, has statutory responsibility for the care and protection of victims of domestic, sexual or gender based violence whether in the context of the family or otherwise. At all times, Tusla’s key priority is to ensure that the needs of victims of domestic and sexual violence are being met in the best way possible.

In 2015, Tusla provided €19.5 million in funding for the provision of domestic and sexual violence services. This funding was allocated to specialist organisations responding to domestic and sexual violence and included funding for some 60 domestic and sexual violence services throughout the country comprising:

· Over €15m for 44 organisations providing domestic violence support services, including 20 emergency refuges.

· €4m for 16 rape crisis centres.

Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence (DSGBV) services have been developed as a specialist national service with a single line of accountability and a dedicated national budget of €20.6m has been allocated by Tusla to the service, in 2016.

Tusla funding for domestic violence services is allocated to emergency refuge accommodation, prevention and community-based domestic violence supports. This year, funding for these services is being maintained at 2015 levels overall, with some additional provision for emergency accommodation in the greater Dublin area and enhanced access to community based outreach services for victims.

I would like to assure the Deputy that Tusla will continue to work closely with service providers to ensure that women and children fleeing domestic violence receive all necessary emergency support.