Written answers

Tuesday, 10 November 2020

Department of Children and Youth Affairs

Domestic Violence Refuges Provision

Photo of Mary Lou McDonaldMary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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544. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the date by which the statistics relating to the use of Tusla-funded emergency domestic violence accommodation for 2019 will be available. [34678/20]

Photo of Mary Lou McDonaldMary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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546. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of requests for domestic refuge in Tusla-funded services that went unmet in 2019 and to date in 2020 due to the fact that refuges were full. [34680/20]

Photo of Roderic O'GormanRoderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 544 and 546 together.

Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, provides funding and coordination supports to some 60 organisations that deliver a range of services for victims of domestic, sexual and gender based violence throughout the country.

In 2020, the Department of Children and Youth Affairs is providing Tusla with core funding of €25.3m for almost 60 organisations that deliver services for victims of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence (DSGBV). To date, Tusla has advised that it also has issued some €800,000 to DSGBV services to respond to the challenges arising from COVID-19 this year, with a further €400,000 in identified costs currently expected to maintain business-as-usual across all DSGBV services up to year end.

With regard to statistics relating to the use of Tusla-funded emergency domestic violence accommodation, Tusla has advised that data is collected retrospectively. The Department's understanding is that full data for 2019 is not yet available. I had hoped that a data report would be ready by Quarter 3 this year. However, Tusla had to prioritise the urgent needs of services after the outbreak of COVID-19, which delayed a number of processes. Tusla expects to finalise the substantive work of data verification later this year.

Photo of Mary Lou McDonaldMary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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545. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the date on which Tusla commenced work on the review of domestic violence accommodation; and the date on which this review will be complete. [34679/20]

Photo of Roderic O'GormanRoderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, has responsibility for the care and protection of victims of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence.

I have requested Tusla to respond directly to the Deputy on the information sought.

Photo of Mary Lou McDonaldMary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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547. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the additional funding in budget 2021 to provide for the additional domestic violence refuge places to be delivered on completion of a Tusla review of domestic violence accommodation. [34681/20]

Photo of Roderic O'GormanRoderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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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). Under the Child and Family Agency Act, 2013, Tusla, the Child and Family Agency has statutory responsibility for the care and protection of victims of DSGBV.

The Programme for Government sets out a number of commitments regarding Domestic Sexual and Gender Based Violence (DSGBV), including an audit on segmentation of DSGBV responsibilities across government departments and agencies.

In 2020 my Department provided €25.3m to Tusla for DSGBV services. Additional funds were allocated during 2020 for additional costs incurred due to COVID-19. The strategic review of emergency accommodation for victims of domestic violence that Tusla is currently undertaking is due to be finalised in Q2, 2021.

I am pleased to have secured significant additional funding for Tusla in Budget 2021 which, I believe, will help the Agency more fully achieve its vision. No specific allocation has yet been made in respect of additional refuge places. The exact details of where Tusla's additional funding is allocated will be finalised in Tusla’s Business Plan for 2021.

Capital costs for the development of refuges are not the responsibility of Tusla. Delivery of additional family units of accommodation will require significant funding, planning and collaboration between Government Departments, local authorities and State agencies.

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