Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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234. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if her attention has been drawn to the significant increase in waiting times for counselling appointments at rape crisis centres; the way in which she plans to respond to this increased demand for services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48539/17]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, has statutory responsibility for the care and protection of victims of domestic, sexual and 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 sexual and domestic violence are being met in the best way possible.

In 2017, my Department provided Tusla with €22.1 million in funding to support the provision of Domestic, Sexual and Gender Based Violence Services, an increase of €1.5 million over 2016 funding. Additional funding has been targeted at improving access to services including measures to address waiting times and enhancing outreach services to increase equity in access to services across the country. Funding of just under €4.27m has been allocated to organisations specifically providing services to sexual violence victims this year.

Rape crisis centres offer counselling and therapy to victims of sexual violence. Counselling services can experience increase in demand from time to time, creating longer waiting lists.

I am aware, in this regard, that particular pressures were being experienced in the Dublin are. In order to alleviate pressures, Tusla provided additional funding of €44,000 in 2017 to put Dublin Rape Crisis Centre's core services on a more sustainable footing and to resource additional counselling hours to reduce waiting lists and waiting times for services. Tusla was informed that the waiting list situation had improved as a result of the additional counselling resources provided.

Arising from Budget 2018, I will shortly be issuing Tusla with its Performance Statement for 2018 in line with the provisions of the Child and Family Agency Act, 2013. Tusla will, in response to the Performance Statement, prepare a Business Plan for 2018 which will be submitted to me for consideration.

The precise level of funding to be allocated to Rape Crisis Centres will be considered by Tusla, in preparing its Business Plan, having regard to the overall level of funding available in 2018, which will exceed €753m.