Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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792. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the estimated cost of increasing the number of domestic refuge spaces to meet the commitments of Ireland under the Istanbul Convention; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21169/20]

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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793. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the estimated cost of increasing the number of domestic refuge spaces to meet the commitments of Ireland under the Istanbul Convention; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21170/20]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 792 and 793 together.

The response to Domestic, Sexual Violence and Gender-based Violence (DSGBV) is a cross Departmental and multi-agency issue. Policy is coordinated by the Department of Justice and Equality (DJE).

Tusla, the Child and Family Agency has statutory responsibility for the care and protection of victims of DSGBV. The Department of Children and Youth Affairs is providing Tusla with €25.3m this year for almost 60 organisations that deliver services for these victims, including 22 services that provide emergency refuge and non-refuge accommodation to victims of domestic violence.

The Council of Europe's document on minimum standards for support services for victims of domestic violence, "Combating Violence Against Women: Minimum Standards for Support Services (2008)" makes recommendations in line with the Istanbul Convention on the level of provision of emergency accommodation for victims of domestic violence. It references two basic or minimum standards in relation to the provision of emergency refuge accommodation:Where shelters are the predominant/only form of service provision, there should be one place per 10,000 population.Where shelters form part of a community strategy with intervention projects, there should be one family place per 10,000 women.

Tusla currently applies the latter standard, as the requirement for a lesser number of shelter spaces reflects a community focussed integrated response for victims, where community-based organisations and outreach supports are in place alongside refuges.

Tusla currently provides financial support for the provision of 158 family units of domestic violence accommodation:

- 148 family units of accommodation are provided in emergency refuge accommodation,

- 10 family units of accommodation are provided in emergency non-refuge accommodation

Applying the standard of one family place per 10,000 women, based on 2020 CSO provisional population estimates (Female population aged 18 and over – 1,926,221), 193 refuge spaces are required. This highlights a shortage of 45 emergency refuge accommodation spaces.

If applying the standard of one family place per 10,000 population, based on 2020 CSO provisional population estimates (pop. 4,977,443), 498 refuge spaces would be required, an additional 350 spaces above current provision.

The annual cost of providing one additional family refuge space is approximately €100,000. The table below shows the estimated annual cost of providing provide 45 and 350 additional spaces respectively.

Capital costs for the development of refuges are not the responsibility of Tusla, and these are not included in the estimated costings above.

In addition to capital costs, delivery of additional family units of accommodation would require significant strategic funding, planning and collaboration between Government Departments, local authorities and State agencies.

A review of the provision of safe emergency accommodation for victims of domestic violence is currently being undertaken by Tusla, and both the needs of victims and the processes for commissioning of refuges or other safe accommodation are being considered as part of this review. The findings of this review and the recommendations of the National Monitoring Committee of the Second National Strategy on DSGBV will inform the future provision of emergency refuge accommodation.