Grace Boland (Dublin Fingal West, Fine Gael)
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140. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if multi-annual funding commitments will be provided to ensure the sustainability of new refuges, including staffing and wraparound supports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68350/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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Combatting all forms of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence (DSGBV) and ensuring that victims and survivors have access to the support and services they need remain absolute priorities.

This Government has taken unprecedented actions to tackle DSGBV. Funding has been increased to almost €80m under Budget 2026 to support Cuan and services working to tackle these crimes, and the implementation of the Zero Tolerance Strategy. This represents an increase of €12m year on year.

This year, Cuan is funding 78 organisations across Ireland. This includes refuge and safe home services, as well as national organisations such as Women’s Aid and Dublin Rape Crisis Centre. In addition, organisations that provide a range of specialised supports, such as Men’s Development Network, MOVE, Pavee Point, Ruhama and Akidwa, will be operational across many counties nationally.

Cuan recognises the burden that having to apply for funding annually places on services. However, multi-annual funding arrangements are not available in respect of current expenditure budgets. Annual current expenditure allocations continue to be made through the annual Estimates process, subject to approval by the Oireachtas.

Cuan is working to ease the administrative burden on services by introducing practical measures that allow annual applications to carry over information from the previous year. Funding to services will increase in 2026 as an outcome of the funding received through Budget 2026. Cuan will be monitoring service activity across all DSGBV funded services, and this monitoring will identify increases in service provision.

Naoise Ó Muirí (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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141. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if he will outline his Department’s progress in introducing specialised judges to handle domestic, sexual, and gender-based violence cases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68145/25]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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Ensuring that our justice system can respond effectively to domestic, sexual and gender-based violence (DSGBV) is a key priority for the Government. It is important that frontline professionals across the sector, including the judiciary, have the skills and understanding of DSGBV to equip them with the necessary expertise they require.

Cuan, the Domestic, Sexual and Gender Based Violence Agency, has worked with the Judicial Council to develop an action on judicial training under the Prosecution Pillar of the Zero Tolerance Strategy to combat DSGBV.

As part of its statutory remit, the Judicial Council will provide continuous professional learning to judges to include DSGBV and family law throughout 2025 and 2026; and will engage where appropriate with relevant agencies. Currently, the Judicial Council delivers training to judges on domestic and sexual violence, including on trauma-informed approaches, and coercive control. The Judicial Council is also responsible for developing relevant education and training to meet the emerging requirements of Family Court judges and DSGBV.

In addition to training for the judiciary, the 2025-2026 Zero Tolerance Implementation Plan outlines a programme of mandatory DSGBV training for those working in family law, including technical skills and further specialist training depending on the role. It is intended that this action will develop and train the family justice workforce to ensure it is trauma-informed, empathetic and responsive to the needs of all users of the family justice system, including children and survivors of DSGBV.

As Minister, it is my priority to ensure that the courts are adequately resourced to administer justice efficiently and effectively. In 2023, the Government approved and appointed an additional 24 judges as proposed by the Judicial Planning Working Group. Following an impact assessment of these appointments, Government approval was secured to increase judicial numbers by a further 20 judges to meet the growing demands on the justice system and to further reduce long waiting times across the courts. This second tranche of judicial appointments will involve two additional judges for the Court of Appeal and six each for the High, Circuit and District Courts.

In September, I received Government approval to amend the legislation to increase the number of judges and on 30 September the Joint Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration waived Pre-Legislative Scrutiny of the General Scheme of Bill.

Taken together, these two sets of appointments represent an increase of approximately 25% in the number of Judges in Ireland. These reforms will ensure that Ireland's family justice system begins to work better for everyone engaging with it.