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. 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 funded from my Department through Vote 40.

The Taoiseach, Minister McEntee and myself have worked intensively with Departmental officials on the Audit of the segmentation of Government’s response to DSGBV and how the results of that Audit fits with the, soon to be published, Third National Strategy on DSGBV. As a result of those discussions and in response to the Audit, it has been agreed that the Department of Justice will be the lead Department with responsibility for responding to DSGBV, and that responsibility for policy, accommodation and services will also sit within the Department of Justice. Tusla will continue to have responsibility for accommodation and services while the new administrative arrangements are put in place.

In 2021, my Department allocated Tusla with €28m in core funding for DSGBV services plus €2m in contingency funding to address challenges arising from COVID-19. In 2022, funding has been increased to €31.5m which includes an additional €0.5m funding for Tusla DSGBV services and the retention of a further €2.0m used for once off funding in 2021. This funding will maintain continuity of services including core sustainability costs, ongoing support for initiatives commenced in 2021 and to support implementation of the recommendations of Tusla's review of accommodation for victims of DSGBV.

The total funding allocated to domestic violence refuge services in 2022 and the expenditure to date are an operational matter for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. I have therefore referred the matter to Tusla, and asked that a direct response be provided to the Deputy.