Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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164. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the steps he is taking in response to an organisation’s (details supplied) report on the rise of reported domestic violence in 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35306/21]

Roderic 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, with overall policy coordinated by the Department of Justice. Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, has statutory responsibility for the care and protection of victims of DSGBV.

My Department is providing Tusla with funding of €30m in 2021 for the provision of DSGBV services. This includes a €2.7m increase in core funding to €28m, with an additional €2m of once-off contingency funding also being made available to help services cope with the ongoing effects of COVID-19. This represents, in total for 2021, a €4.7m increase over the original 2020 figure allocated to Tusla. This represents my commitment to prioritising and supporting the most vulnerable in our society. I recognise the devastating effects that incidences of DSGBV can have on individuals and families, exacerbated by the COVID-19 public health emergency.

The Deputy will also be aware that the Programme for Government sets out a number of commitments regarding DSGBV, including an audit on segmentation of DSGBV responsibilities across government departments and agencies, and a Third National Strategy on DSGBV which commences in 2022. Tusla is also finalising a review of emergency accommodation nationwide which assesses the current and requisite distribution of safe emergency accommodation. The findings of this review, 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.

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 Tusla in meeting the needs of individuals who experience domestic violence.