Denise Mitchell (Dublin Bay North, Sinn Fein)
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62. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of refuge spaces for abuse victims here; the level of funding for the services; if additional funding or resourcing is required; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6781/19]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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I have secured additional funding of €1.5 million for Domestic, Sexual and Gender Based Violence (DSGBV) services in 2019. I am pleased to confirm that Tusla, the Child and Family Agency will receive €25.3 million for these services this year.

Tusla has responsibility for the provision of funding, co-ordination and support to 59 organisations nationally that deliver a range of services to victims of domestic, sexual and gender based violence.

22 of these organisations provide emergency refuge and emergency non-refuge accommodation to victims of domestic violence and their children, with a total of 155 family units of emergency accommodation - 145 in emergency refuges and 10 in safe homes. This figure of 155 units includes 9 units of accommodation in the Rathmines Refuge, Dublin which was temporarily closed for essential refurbishment works. This facility is expected to re-open as a domestic violence refuge in the coming weeks.

There are challenges to be addressed in ensuring that there is an appropriate configuration of spaces available to all women and children who require emergency refuge accommodation. At all times, Tusla seeks to achieve the optimum use of specialist emergency accommodation while also focusing on prevention and effective community based services to avoid, in so far as possible, the need for use of refuges by vulnerable women and families.

A strong focus for Tusla is on improved geographical access to services and the provision of additional emergency refuge capacity nationally. Tusla is progressing its planning around additional refuge developments in areas of under-provision to improve access to safe emergency accommodation for victims of domestic violence.

It is important that the needs of victims of domestic violence are met in the best way possible, with due attention to the quality, accessibility, and outcome of services. I am committed to supporting the Agency in meeting the needs of individuals who experience domestic violence. I will engage with Tusla as to how the additional funding that I have secured for DSGBV services will be assigned in 2019.