Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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551. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the expected timeframe for the publication of the new national strategy on domestic, sexual and gender-based violence; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26292/22]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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This Government is committed to tackling domestic, sexual and gender-based violence (DSGBV) in all its forms, and to ensuring that people, particularly women and vulnerable people, feel safe and are safe in our communities.

As the Deputy is aware, I am currently leading work on a new whole of Government strategy to combat domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. This new plan will have a particular focus on prevention, and on ensuring victims are better supported. It will set an overall goal of zero tolerance in our society of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence.

The strategy has been developed in partnership with the sector to ensure it is targeted, comprehensive and effective in achieving all of the goals set out. Earlier this year, I briefed those working in the sector on the progress of the strategy and, as part of that ongoing consultation, a wider public consultation run by my Department concluded in March.

Officials in my Department are currently working to finalise the strategy for submission to Government in light of submissions received in this final consultative phase.

The strategy and aims will set a high level of ambition and so I am also working on finalising an accompanying action plan for the rest of this year and next year. This will set out how each of these aims will be achieved, which Departments and agencies are responsible for them, and the timeframe for delivery, so that it is targeted, precise and deliverable.

I intend to bring both the finalised strategy and the action plan to Government in the coming weeks. They will both be published as soon as possible thereafter.

I have said on a number of occasions that this new Strategy will be the most ambitious to date, and I intend to deliver on that.

Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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552. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if the new national strategy on domestic, sexual and gender-based violence will include a timeline for the delivery of domestic violence refuges in counties Cavan and Monaghan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26293/22]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I can assure the Deputy that it is my goal that everyone who needs a refuge space will get one, and I am deeply committed to working with our partners in the sector and with my Government colleagues to achieve that.

This Government has prioritised tackling domestic, sexual and gender-based violence (DSGBV) in all its forms, and ensuring that people, particularly women and vulnerable people, feel safe and are safe in our communities.

As the Deputy is aware, I am currently leading work on a new whole of government strategy to combat domestic, sexual, gender-based violence. This new plan will have a particular focus on prevention, and on ensuring victims are better supported.

It is my intention to publish the final strategy and accompanying action plan as soon as possible in the coming weeks.

In addition, in February, Minister O’Gorman and I published the review by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, of accommodation for victims of domestic violence  

While the review says that a minimum of between 50 and 60 new refuge places are needed as a priority, further analysis has identified 10 locations nationwide where the delivery of 82 family refuge spaces would have the most impact if prioritised.

These locations and refuge need have been chosen on the basis of required proximity to a refuge, as well as a need for refuge spaces per head of population in densely populated areas.

These represent areas where there is the most significant under-provision and represent a starting point to increasing refuge spaces comprehensively and in every county across the country.

The initial areas identified in the Tusla review include Cavan/Monaghan, where eight family places are suggested as a starting point for prioritisation.

I fully acknowledge the need to dramatically increase the provision of refuges and that key to this will be ensuring organsiations can access funding.

To that end, my Department has established a high level Inter-Departmental Group to review the current system for the provision of refuge spaces and to identify changes that can be made to the system to deliver additional spaces as effectively as possible.

The timelines for delivery of this programme of work, as well as further targets for nationwide delivery of refuge accommodation, will be outlined in the third national strategy and further detail will be contained in the accompanying action plan.