Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Anti-Austerity Alliance)
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258. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will restore funding to Women's Aid and other such services for victims of domestic violence; if she will expand the provision of refuges and other services for women and children to meet demand; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27435/16]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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In 2016, funding for Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence services is €20.6 million. This includes additional funding of €200,000, requested by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency to implement the provisions of the Council of Europe Convention on Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence (the Istanbul Convention).

As the agency with statutory responsibility for care and protection of victims of domestic, sexual and gender based violence, Tusla will work collaboratively with service provider organisations, statutory agencies and other stakeholders to ensure the successful implementation of objectives of the Convention. Under the Istanbul Convention, there is an obligation to have a dedicated, free 24 hour national helpline in place for contact around issues of domestic violence.

My Department does not fund Women's Aid. This is done through Tusla, the Child and Family Agency which has allocated funding of €600,000 to Women’s Aid in 2016.

Tusla is currently engaged with service provider organisations and other stakeholders, including Women’s Aid, in regard to the provision of helpline services to support the availability of a co-ordinated, accessible national helpline service that can provide both initial contact points and facilitate integrated responses to victims of domestic violence wherever they are in the country.

Tusla is also working with service provider organisations to identify and prioritise future needs, including the provision of additional emergency accommodation spaces for victims of domestic violence. Since the beginning of 2016, six additional units of emergency accommodation have become operational and are supported by Tusla.

Tusla recognises the valuable work of Women’s Aid and other organisations providing services in the area of domestic violence and is committed to the development of these services in line with its statutory remit.

At all times Tusla’s key priority is to ensure that the needs of victims of domestic violence, are being met in the best way possible, with a focus on addressing inequities in access to services and assuring availability of consistent and high quality services.