Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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161. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the engagement she has had with the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth with regard to the preparation of a time-bound action plan for the implementation of the recommendations of the Tusla Review of the Provision of Accommodation to Victims of Domestic Violence; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8517/22]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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As I am sure the Deputy is aware, on Tuesday, my colleague Minister O’Gorman and I brought the Tusla review to Government and it has now been published.

The Tusla review is the latest action in a series of important commitments in the Programme for Government to examine how we, as a state, tackle domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. 

Since the formation of Government, I have worked closely with my colleague Minister O'Gorman on this issue and both he and I are fully committed to making sure we have a system that supports victims in their time of need and that meets all of their needs.  

Publication of the Tusla review follows the publication in July 2021 of an independent audit of responsibility for domestic, sexual and gender based violence across Government. The audit was carried out as part of the Programme for Government.

On foot of this audit, it has now been agreed that my Department will take over responsibility, through Tusla initially, for service delivery, in addition to its existing policy coordination responsibility for this important area. A detailed plan for how this will happen is being prepared. 

The Tusla review highlights gaps in geographical coverage and inadequate provision of safe accommodation, including refuges, to meet population needs. It recommends an approach to address this with immediate, medium and long term actions required, providing a list of priority areas where additional services would address the most immediate need.

I intend to work with Tusla to ensure that the areas highlighted in the review are prioritised and, in the medium term, there will be further service expansion in other areas. It is my intention to develop an implementation plan in which the number of refuge spaces available will meet our commitments under the Istanbul Convention.

The response to DSGBV is a cross departmental and multi-agency issue. As you know, I’m leading the development across Government of the new national strategy to combat DSGBV. It will set an overall goal of zero tolerance in Irish society for domestic, sexual and gender-based violence.

The third national strategy to combat domestic and sexual violence will also make provision for how we deliver refuge spaces, both in the immediate and longer term, to cater for the needs of victims.  

Yesterday, I spoke once again with the NGO sector and shared a draft of the forthcoming strategy as part of our ongoing consultation with the sector. Today, I have launched a public consultation on the strategy.  Following these consultations, I intend to finalise and bring to Government the strategy and accompanying detailed action plan in April, after which it will be published and implementation will commence.