Written answers

Thursday, 3 December 2020

Department of Children and Youth Affairs

Domestic Violence Refuges Provision

Photo of Jim O'CallaghanJim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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99. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when he plans to publish a review of domestic violence accommodation provision. [40750/20]

Photo of Roderic O'GormanRoderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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The response to Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence (DSGBV) is a cross Departmental and multi-agency issue. Policy is coordinated by the Department of Justice.

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.

Tusla is currently undertaking a review of emergency accommodation nationwide. This will assess the current and requisite distribution of safe emergency accommodation. Substantial progress has been made on a number of processes which contribute to the review.

These include a literature review, consultations with stakeholders, geographical and census data analysis, consultation with service users and policy analysis. The literature review is now complete.

The review's findings and the recommendations of the Monitoring Committee of the Second National Strategy on DSGBV will inform Tusla's future decisions on priority areas for investment and development of services. Tusla has advised me that the report will be published next April.

It is of the utmost importance that the needs of those who experience domestic violence are met in the most appropriate way possible. I strongly support the work of Tusla and its funded service providers and I am committed to supporting the Agency in meeting the needs of individuals who experience domestic violence.

I look forward to responding to Tusla's audit of refuge accommodation across the country and to ensuring that new refuges are appropriately designed and located.

While funding will be crucial to our success in tackling DSGBV, it is imperative that we have the right structures in place to allow the Government to respond as effectively as possible. Under the Programme for Government, we have committed to undertaking an audit of responsibility for DSGBV across Departments and State agencies.

The procurement process to secure the expertise to conduct this audit is under way, in conjunction with my colleague the Minister for Justice. We expect that audit to be completed without delay, and the Government will act on the basis of that audit.

Photo of Holly CairnsHolly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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100. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number and amounts of capital grants for the provision of domestic violence and abuse refuges between 1 January 2016 and 1 November 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40782/20]

Photo of Roderic O'GormanRoderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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The response to Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence (DSGBV) is a cross Departmental and multi-agency issue. Policy is coordinated by the Department of Justice. 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 provision of capital funding for domestic violence refuges is a matter for the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. Capital development costs for new domestic violence refuges are supported through the Capital Assistance Scheme, which is overseen by the Department of Housing and is managed by local authorities.

Under the Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS), capital funding of up to 100% of project costs may be advanced by local authorities to Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) to provide housing for specific categories of people in need.

Those seeking Capital funding through this scheme for domestic violence accommodation are advised to engage with their local authority and with Tusla, at the beginning stages of planning. In certain circumstances, the housing needs of victims of domestic violence can also be addressed by the provision of accommodation by local authorities from their own stock of housing.

I am informed that in 2019, 17 units of accommodation for victims of domestic violence were provided under the Capital Assistance Scheme.

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.

It is imperative that we have the right structures in place to allow the Government to respond as effectively as possible to all the issues associated with addressing DSGBV and supporting victims of these crimes.

Under the Programme for Government, we have committed to undertaking an audit of responsibility for DSGBV across Departments and State agencies to that we can ensure a more effective and holistic infrastructure is established to respond to DSGBV.

The procurement process to secure the expertise to conduct this audit is under way, in conjunction with my colleague Minister McEntee in the Department of Justice. We expect that audit to be completed quickly, and the Government will act on the basis of that audit.

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