Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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151. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality to provide an update on the previous commitments to deliver domestic violence refuges in each county, including Monaghan and Cavan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12805/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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One of the overarching goals of the Zero Tolerance Strategy to address domestic, sexual and gender-based violence (DSGBV), is ensuring that everyone who needs a refuge space will get one. The Strategy, published in June 2022, includes an ambitious target to double the number of refuge spaces by the end of 2026.

To accelerate the delivery of additional refuge accommodation year on year, Cuan, the DSGBV Agency, was established last year. While currently almost three quarters of the population in the State is within 30 minutes of a refuge location, I am aware of the need to improve on this, and to ensure that services are accessible to everyone living in rural areas. Achieving this, including through the completion of a National Services Development Plan, is a core objective of Cuan’s Corporate Plan 2025-2027, which was published at the end of last year.

A key priority for me and for Cuan is the development of a domestic violence refuge in the Cavan and Monaghan region. Cuan is working with the key stakeholders including Safe Ireland, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Cavan and Monaghan County Councils and the Housing Agency, to progress the development of an eight-unit refuge in this region, which will also include community-facing ancillary support services.

Cuan has worked with Safe Ireland to fund and resource a Project Manager post and a Change Manager post, in addition to supporting the organisation to form the local partnership that is needed to drive the project. I understand that, a site selection process for this refuge started last November and that process is ongoing.