Vol. 549 No. 2
8 Ms O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if his attention has been drawn to research produced by the National Women's Council of Ireland, which found that women's organisations providing vital counselling, support and crisis services were underfunded and lacked resources; the plans to provide adequate funding for these groups; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6093/02]
The study commissioned by the National Women's Council of Ireland entitled Framing the Future, to which the Deputy refers, was published in November 2001. The brief of the study was to "examine the quantity and nature of women's community based and issue-based groups in order to identify a set of integrated strategies and supports for women's empowerment and participation in decision-making, service provision and policy formation at local and regional level".
Its specific objectives were: to audit the nature, activities and aspirations of women's community and issue-based groups throughout the 26 counties; to identify models of good practice developed by women's community and issue-based groups; to identify gaps in supports for the development of the work of women's community and issue-based groups; and to propose a set of integrated strategies and supports for women's empowerment and participation in decision-making, service provision and policy formation at local and regional levels.
The report notes that the study is not an evaluation of the work of women's organisations but rather an attempt to map the sector and illustrate the contribution of the community and voluntary sector. It notes that in the past decade the Government has set up an increasing number of mechanisms to promote co-operation between the community and voluntary sector and the State and notes the importance of these mechanisms to women's groups.
Framing the Future shows that the women's community and voluntary sector accounts for over 2,631 groups and organisations, catering for about 75,000 women annually. The number of organisations in the sector has increased significantly in the last ten years, with 43% of organisations established in the last five years and 60% established in the last ten. These groups range from small locally based women's groups to larger service providing organisations, for example women's refuges and rape crisis centres. Funding for such organisations is provided by a range of Government Departments, including the Departments of Health and Children and Social, Community and Family Affairs, on an issue-driven basis. The health boards are, in particular, an important source of funding for projects combating violence against women.
The report of the task force on violence against women was published in 1997 and sets out a strat egy which includes the establishment of a national steering committee and regional committees. Funding is provided, by the Minister for Health and Children via the health boards, to a range of women's organisations for the provision of counselling and support services for women victims of violence. Funding decisions are taken based on the recommendations of regional committees on violence against women which were established in 1998.
Additional InformationOn the issue of funding for women's organisations providing counselling, support and crisis services, the national steering committee has recently commissioned research to examine current and future needs and responses to women who have experienced violence or the threat of violence arising from domestic violence, rape or sexual assault. This study will assist in identifying gaps in service provision and it is expected to be completed in Autumn 2002.
Since 1997 there has been a significant increase in the amount of funding made available annually to the health boards for women victims of violence, which has resulted in a considerable improvement to these services. In 1997, the sum of £3 million was provided for such services. Funding has increased each year since and in 2002 an additional €0.922 million was made available for services relating to violence against women bringing funding in this area to a total of €11.463 million, or £9.2 million, this year.
Framing the Future refers to funding and resource issues across the broad range of organisations and groups in the women's sector and makes recommendations pertinent to various Government Departments and agencies and to the National Women's Council of Ireland.
I thank the Minister of State for her reply. I note that she was present at the launch of the report. The statistics refer to 2,631 organisations. Does the Minister agree that these organisations are doing excellent work particularly in the area of social support? If we did not have these voluntary organisations we would have even more social problems. These organisations perform an important function in areas where there is rural isolation, high levels of unemployment and drug problems. The main issue in the report was the difficulty in accessing funding. Part of the problem was that there were a number of different Departments through which funding might be sought. Will the Minister of State accede to the request that a mechanism be found within Government to simplify access to funding?
I accept that these organisations are doing wonderful work around the country. Some 79% of local groups had an average of 19 members each and were operating on a voluntary basis, some with incomes of approximately £1,000. However, while 79% of the groups are locally based, other groups are included, such as the Rape Crisis Centre and others, that get large amounts of funding because they are providing services.
My Department is very forthcoming with regard to funding for the National Women's Council. The funding for that umbrella organisation has been trebled in the period of this Government. The National Women's Council sponsored this research and currently has a proposal before the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs with regard to developing the area of working with voluntary and community groups.
One of the issues of concern, and one that has been raised here in a more general context, is that of insurance. This affects many of these groups. If a facility is being used there may be a problem with the extra cost of insurance, and that may be a new cost. In addition, there are a large number of new groups as the Minister acknowledged in her reply. There is a case for increased funding across the board because of the number of extra groups, because of the insurance issue and because it is becoming harder to get volunteers for voluntary organisations.
To address this issue, the White Paper on sport and voluntary activity was published last September by the Government. There is a fund of £7 million attached to that. Groups, including the National Women's Council, applied for grants from that money. Some £2 million was set aside for national bodies supporting local groups. That scheme was advertised in October last with a closing date in November. There was a very positive response and we are awaiting the outcome of the allocations. That will be of help to the National Women's Council in supporting groups around the country that provide services and that work with women, especially the smaller of the 2,621 groups and organisations referred to.
