Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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355. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if funding is available for a domestic violence support group (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42757/20]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Tackling domestic abuse and providing supports for victims is a priority for me as Minister and for Government. I am working collectively with my colleagues to ensure we have an appropriate national response that supports victims and holds perpetrators to account.

I would remind the Deputy that while funding for frontline services is under the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, by virtue of his responsibility for Tusla, my Department does provide funding to organisations that support victims of crime, including by providing emotional support, court accompaniment, accompaniment to Garda interviews, accompaniment to sexual assault treatment units, counselling and referral to other services .

My Department also provides funding to support training and awareness raising initiatives in relation to domestic, sexual and gender-based violence.

In 2020, my Department has provided just over €3.9 million in funding for these purposes and this year I have secured funding of some €3 million for raising awareness of domestic, sexual and gender based violence and €4.104 million to support victims of crime.

These figures reflect the additional €2.3 million provided in Budget 2021 for the implementation of Supporting a Victim's Journey - A plan to help victims and vulnerable witnesses in sexual violence cases and a continuation of the Covid specific funding made available to help organisations we fund to meet the challenges presented by the pandemic, with €400,000 set aside for this purpose.

In relation to the provision of funding for the organisation in question, my Department has in the past provided funding to this organisation and I would draw their attention to the fact that the scheme for funding for 2021 is live and that a public call for applications will issue in national media in the coming days.