Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Anti-Austerity Alliance)
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265. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will invest in places of refuge for victims of domestic violence in order that places available are in line with the practice elsewhere in Europe of one place per 10,000 of the population, in view of the reports of just under 6,000 women being turned away from women's refuges in the past year (details supplied); the steps she will take to ensure the safety of victims; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36689/16]

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, a further €4.6m is provided for other community based domestic violence support services and €4.0m is provided for rape crisis centres.

Tusla provides revenue funding towards the running costs of emergency refuge accommodation. In the current year, Tusla is providing funding for 147 family units of emergency refuge spaces and eight family units of emergency non-refuge spaces. This includes eight additional family units of accommodation; six additional family units of emergency accommodation in Dublin and Kildare and two emergency safe housing units in Sligo which were funded by Tusla in 2016. The emergency domestic violence accommodation spaces in the Rebuilding Ireland - An Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness will be in addition to those already supported by Tusla. On foot of Budget 2017, Tusla will be increasing its investment nationally on domestic violence services. The level of increase will be set out in Tusla's 2017 Business Plan, which will be submitted to me shortly for consideration.

The recommendation of the Council of Europe minimum standards document is for one refuge space per 10,000 adult female population. With availability of additional units of emergency accommodation in 2016, Tusla data indicates that the current rate of provision will be 1.45 refuge spaces per 10,000 adult women.

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.