Written answers

Tuesday, 7 March 2023

Department of Justice and Equality

Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence

Photo of Mary Lou McDonaldMary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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525. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if he will provide the draft heads of the Bill to establish an agency with responsibility for domestic sexual and gender-based violence. [11488/23]

Photo of Simon HarrisSimon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Last week, I secured Government approval for the drafting of legislation to create a statutory agency dedicated to tackling and reducing domestic, sexual and gender-based violence.

It follows the Government’s decision last June that an agency should be established under the remit of the Department of Justice to deliver on commitments under Zero Tolerance, the Third National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender Based Violence.

One of its key responsibilities will be overseeing and supporting the provision of refuge accommodation for victims to help deliver on the Government’s commitment to double the number of refuge places and increase the number of safe homes and other accommodation over the duration of the Zero Tolerance plan.

However, the establishment of the agency will also ensure that there is permanent structure to help deliver further refuge accommodation over the long term.

To assist with this, the new agency will prepare and publish standards for service provision and governance in respect of the DSGBV services and accommodation, and monitor adherence to those standards.

The core functions of the agency as set out in the newly-published General Scheme include:

- planning, commissioning and funding DSGBV services;

- overseeing and supporting the provision of refuge accommodation for victims;

- setting standards for services and refuges, and monitoring adherence;

- disseminating information on DSGBV, and leading and supporting awareness-raising campaigns;

- conducting, commissioning and supporting research;

- supporting, co-ordinating and reporting on the implementation of the Strategy; and

- assisting the Minister in developing future DSGBV strategies.

The General Scheme of the Bill will now be referred to the Justice Committee for pre-legislative scrutiny and once their report is received, work on finalising the Bill will be prioritised so that it can be published and begin its progression through the Houses with a view to enactment before the end of the year.

The General Scheme can be read in full here: www.gov.ie/en/publication/245e7-draft-general-scheme-of-a-dsgbv-agency-bill

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