John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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712. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs following the publication of the action plan for housing and homelessness four months ago the status of the progress made to date on action 1.8; the details of the additional emergency refuge accommodation spaces that are to be provided and the details of a specific timeframe; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35037/16]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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In 2016, Tusla, the Child and Family Agency has allocated funding of €20.6m for a network of some 60 organisations providing services to victims of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence in Ireland. Almost €12.0m is provided for emergency refuge and support services and a further €4.6m is provided for other community based domestic violence support services. The level of expenditure in this area will further increase in 2017, arising from the provision of €37m in additional funding to Tusla for services generally.

Tusla provides revenue funding towards the running costs of emergency refuge accommodation. The local authorities continue to have responsibility for capital funding in respect of this service. In the current year, Tusla is providing funding to support the provision of six additional family units of emergency accommodation in Dublin and Kildare.

Tusla is engaged with a number of specialist domestic violence service provider organisations and other stakeholders about additional provision to support families in safe accommodation in 2017 and beyond. Tusla’s focus is on achieving the optimum use of emergency shelter accommodation and effective community based services to avoid in so far as possible the need for use of refuges by vulnerable women and families.

My priority, and that of Tusla, is to ensure that the needs of women and children fleeing domestic violence are being met in the most effective way possible. I am committed to continuing support for these vital services.