Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 19 Oct 2022

Vol. 1028 No. 1

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate

Social Welfare Payments

Deputy Maurice Quinlivan

My office has been contacted about this issue more frequently in recent months. I put on record my thanks and those of the staff who work at my constituency office in Limerick to the staff in the regional office of the Department of Social Protection, who do tremendous work, including especially earlier in the pandemic, and that has been, and is, very much appreciated.

I have been contacted by many Limerick residents who have applied for urgent payments such as the additional needs payment but who have not received a timely response to the status of their application. As the Minister of State will be aware, this is an exceptional payment that can support families when unexpected issues and essential expenses arise that they cannot afford to pay from their weekly income. Traditionally, the queries my office receives regarding this payment are in response to sudden expenses such as help with funeral costs, temporary assistance while awaiting a decision from the appeals office or following an unexpected incident such as a fire in the family home. More and more, however, we face queries on this payment from people who are finding their energy and food costs too high. The number of exceptional needs payments made towards heating and household bills has, historically, been quite low. For instance, in the first months of 2022, only 1,001 payments were made in the entire State. The community welfare service delivers the supplementary welfare allowance scheme as well. Unfortunately, the feedback we are receiving from applicants suggests that applications to the community welfare service are taking a very long time to process.

Since the sudden centralisation of the community welfare service during the summer, I have observed two major failings, the first of which is that people awaiting a decision from the appeals office are now being advised not to apply for the supplementary welfare allowance because the wait time is likely to be longer than the wait for an appeal decision itself. That was never previously the case. The second major failing is that those who have been allocated social houses are waiting a minimum of eight to ten weeks to receive their new home kit, which would enable them to buy some of the bare necessities such as cooking appliances and beds. This is putting a severe strain on the most vulnerable families.

I might give the Minister of State an idea of some of the people I am talking about. One lady I am dealing with has two autistic children, who, as she will be aware, need a daily routine. She previously rented for 13 years and was delighted to be offered a local authority home in May. Due to delays, she received the keys in August and, unfortunately, could not apply for the new home kit until then because she had to wait until she had the keys. It is ten weeks later and she has not received the payment. Two autistic children are not eating properly because they have no fridge or cooker. Another person I am dealing with is an elderly man who was placed in housing specifically for elderly people. He had no furniture of his own because he had rented privately for years. He has applied for the new home kit for furniture and is currently sleeping on the floor because the additional needs payment has not yet been approved.

These delays are, in many cases, turning what should be a celebratory event - gaining a home forever - into a nightmare. Other delays are leaving innumerable people without any sort of income for months on end. I appreciate the recent response from the Department outlining that an estimated 63% of payments are decided within four weeks of the application and I think the next 2% are decided within eight weeks, but my local area, where the staff do exceptional work, now has delays of up to ten weeks. Furthermore, that response outlined that a back-office team undertakes preparatory work on applications and that this process frees up community welfare officers, CWOs, from such administrative tasks. Will the Minister of State outline how these applications are dealt with? Are they triaged, with the most urgent cases addressed first, as was suggested in a recent reply to a parliamentary question, or is it first come first served, as I have been told is the case by CWOs?

Minister of State at the Department of Education (Deputy Josepha Madigan)

I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for Social Protection. The additional needs payment is available from the Department of Social Protection to assist people who are experiencing genuine financial hardship. As of the end of September 2022, almost 66,000 applications for additional needs payments had been processed and awarded, representing a 60% increase in the number of applications awarded compared with the same period in 2021. This rise in the number of applications in 2022 reflects a return to pre-pandemic levels and a number of positive new measures introduced by the Minister earlier this year to try to simplify the process and make it easier for people to access additional needs payments. These measures include the removal of the 30-hour rule and the establishment of a national helpline phone number. In addition, there was a major public awareness raising campaign by the Department to increase awareness of the payments, which many Deputies will have heard on national radio over recent months. It is clear from the statistics that those efforts have worked and, as I said, the number of applications awarded so far this year is 60% ahead of the same period in 2021.

There are a number of different ways to apply for an additional needs payment. A person can apply over the phone, by visiting a local Intreo office, by visiting a community welfare officer clinic or, where necessary, a CWO can call to a person’s home by appointment. Where it is obvious a person has an immediate need, every effort is made to ensure he or she will receive a payment on the same day. In fairness, we all deal with CWOs through our constituency offices and where the CWO recognises there is a clear and urgent need, he or she is normally good at making sure the person is looked after. Where an application is complete and the required documentation is supplied, it is generally processed in a matter of days. Where there are delays sometimes, this is generally due to additional information or documentation being requested from the person to support the application.

I listened to the specific concerns the Deputy raised regarding the mother of two autistic children and the elderly man with the furniture issue. It would be helpful if he could bring those details to the attention of the Minister, who can check with her Department as to the status of those individual queries. He also mentioned appeals and the new home kit. I have noted those comments and will convey them to the Minister. The criteria for the additional needs payment are quite broad and the decision on any emergency payment is taken by the CWO, who has discretion. In general, the requirement is that the money be needed for an essential expense the customer cannot pay from his or her weekly income. Someone can get this payment, therefore, even if he or she does not receive any social welfare payments, not least if he or she is on a low income. The Deputy mentioned some examples and asked about the payment in respect of energy costs. Increased costs of heating and electricity would fit the criteria, as would essential repairs to property and replacing household appliances or furniture, and assistance with deposits for private rented accommodation, as well as furniture, bedding and other items if a home is being set up for the first time.

Funeral costs are covered, as are recurring travel expenses such as for hospital appointments or visiting relatives in hospital or prison. Assistance is provided for immediate needs such as food, clothing and accommodation expenses following an emergency event such as a house fire. The payment does not cover non-essential household or personal expenses, or costs that are the responsibility of another agency or government body.

Deputy Maurice Quinlivan

In her response the Minister of State said that where it is obvious a person has an immediate need, every effort is made to ensure he or she receives a payment on the day. That used to be the case but the reason I am raising this issue is that it is not the case anymore, unfortunately. It is fine for us to stand here and discuss figures and percentages, but the reality is that the people who are most in need are not receiving payments from the Department in a timely manner. That is the problem I am trying to raise. There are people waiting 12 weeks for decisions on initial applications for long-term payments such as the invalidity pension, the disability allowance and the carer's allowance, and people waiting up to ten weeks for an exceptional needs payment. These are good people who, in many cases, have never contacted the Department previously. Many are providing an invaluable service to both the community and to the State. They apply for these payments out of necessity. They are not doing it for anything else.

I encourage the Minister for Social Protection to put the application form online. It would make it much handier seeing as the Government is centralising the service, which is a mistake. This is the minimum people should expect from the State during a stressful period of their lives. The community welfare service, which exists to help, should be able to step in immediately when people are most in need, be in good working order and be able to deliver on these needs promptly, as had always been the case. The centralisation of these processes seems to have been done in a rushed manner, with confirmation of the change provided after it had become a fait accompli. Since then, timelines for applications have increased on a near weekly basis. Timelines have jumped from six weeks when the community welfare service was first centralised, to eight and then ten weeks, and now the responses from the Department are without a specified timeline. As this centralisation has not worked, the community aspect has been removed from what was supposedly a community service. It is now just a welfare service. We have made a big mistake in the centralisation of it. It used to be that the CWO would know the people coming in and it was an easier service to administer. It is taking too long.

Deputy Josepha Madigan

We all recall that during the pandemic, and the Deputy mentioned this about Limerick, the staff in the Department of Social Protection went above and beyond to ensure people got the support that they needed in a timely fashion. I have every confidence that will be the case here as well. The Minister has confirmed that she will allocate additional staff to deal with the processing of payments.

The Deputy mentioned delays. A lot is being done. We have to remember that this is taxpayers' money. Where all of the necessary information and documentation is provided, payments are usually processed within a matter of days. Where there are delays, it is normally where additional information is required but, as I said, the Minister is allocating additional staff to assist with that. The Department is also currently examining the introduction of an online application option. The Minister has been approached by a number of Deputies about that. That is worth looking at and the Department is actively looking at it. At the moment, a person can apply by phone, or by visiting an Intreo office or a CWO clinic. More than €38 million has been paid out under the scheme. As I said earlier, that is a 60% increase on the awards last year. The Minister and her Department want people to be able to access these payments. That is what they are there for and that is why there has been such a comprehensive communications campaign to promote and raise awareness of this payment. I appreciate the Deputy's contribution and I will pass his comments on to the Minister.

Medicinal Products

Deputy Gino Kenny

A number of parents are listening to this debate. What they will want to know is when their children will get access to the drug Kaftrio. There are 35 children being denied a drug that is hugely beneficial to treat their cystic fibrosis, CF. They will be asking questions of the HSE and the manufacturer, Vertex. A resolution has to be found immediately. It is unbelievable that others living with CF have access to this drug. It is hugely beneficial. Even in Europe, the vast majority of people living with cystic fibrosis have access to it. These parents and children are being denied and delayed. That is a terrible injustice for these children. I understand the Minister for Health will be meeting with some of the parents next week regarding this cohort of children. It is disappointing that the meeting has not taken place thus far. There is huge frustration and anger about this situation. I always try to put myself in the shoes of a parent of a child with CF. Imagine knowing there is a medication that is being denied to your child. That is immoral. I am sure the Minister of State and everybody else will agree with that, given that a drug is available to people but these children cannot get it because of what seems to be a price dispute between the HSE and Vertex. A resolution has to be found. No financial burden should be put on parents and children at this stage. There is speculation that this could be referred to the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics, NCPE. That is an arduous and lengthy process, to say the least, that could go on for well beyond three months. Time is of the essence for access to Kaftrio. I hope the Minister of State will have some news today for the 35 parents who are listening and seeking access for their children.

Minister of State at the Department of Health (Deputy Anne Rabbitte)

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue, to which I am responding on behalf of the Minister for Health. Cystic fibrosis is a devastating disease for patients and their families, with Ireland having one of the highest per capita CF rates in the world. Many of us will have seen its effects and the cost to families. Access to effective treatment offers hope to those suffering from this disease and the Minister aims to make this possible for every patient who needs it.

Kaftrio has been a life-changing drug for CF sufferers. Access to drugs like this is what we expected when we signed our agreement with the manufacturer Vertex in 2017. The deal stipulated that our patients would have access to Vertex's whole portfolio of CF drugs for a capped yearly cost. We made a ten-year commitment, which has already seen us pay hundreds of millions of euro to Vertex. We entered this agreement in good faith, expecting that as new licences were approved for its medicines, we would receive access at no additional cost. This has been the case previously when new indications were licensed. Our agreement was amended in 2019 and 2020 to include these patient groups at no additional cost. However, for this particular subtype affecting a small number of children, Vertex is requesting additional funds to provide access.

The HSE has statutory responsibility for community drug schemes. It has structures in place to ensure our health service is able to provide the right care suitably and sustainably. The corporate pharmaceutical unit has engaged extensively with Vertex, holding 11 meetings to try to get this patient group included in our pre-existing agreement. Considering the significant budgetary impact of additional resources, Vertex is requesting it engage with the pricing and reimbursement process that all our medicines are required to undergo. The HSE continues to engage proactively with Vertex, meeting as recently as 12 October, hoping to better understand why the company has chosen to take this position. The Government is committed to providing access to innovative new medicines for Irish patients.

The last three budgets have seen almost €100 million dedicated to new medicines, with 90 new medicines or the expanded use of existing medicines made available by this funding, and 21 of these are for the treatment of rare diseases. The Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association, IPHA, a group representing the industry, has described this dedicated funding as a game-changer. The Minister thanks Cystic Fibrosis Ireland for its efforts in bringing attention to the situation. He shares a common goal of making this drug available to the children who need it. The Minister is eager to gain their insight on possible routes to a solution. To that end, he will meet with the CEO soon. This meeting will include clinical experts and patient representatives. I hope this is the meeting that the Deputy referred to as being next week. It is a timely meeting giving a voice to those with real-world experience of this debilitating disease and the difference that Kaftrio could make. The Minister is optimistic that their meeting will be fruitful and will contribute to making this drug available to every person who needs it.

Deputy Gino Kenny

I do not blame the Minister of State, but if I was a parent of a child listening to this, I would believe the fault lies with the manufacturer, Vertex. That is not disputable. It is also not disputable that Vertex is a multi-billion dollar enterprise, so much so that I looked up its listings on how much it makes per year. To say it is eye-watering is an understatement. It has a stock valuation of $70 billion. Its turnover two years ago just for the drug Kaftrio was $5.7 billion. Two years ago, it made a profit of $4.3 billion. It is incredible the amount that a pharmaceutical company can make and at the same time go into a dispute with, and almost blackmail, governments around the access to this drug. It is absolutely immoral that pharmaceutical companies, most of which are based in Ireland, have governments and families over a barrel. They make an amazing profit, but the Minister of State said in her statement that they are looking for extra funding. I am sure they have done very well out of the Irish State just with this particular drug. They have made tens of millions of euro in profits but they will not compromise on this issue. The Minister of State must agree that it is absolutely immoral. I do not know how these people sleep at night while at the same time children are being denied this drug. In one guise Kaftrio is being hailed as the closest thing to a cure for those with CF, yet this is being denied to children. It is absolutely immoral. Hopefully, the Minister can convey this sentiment to the CEO of Vertex.

Deputy Anne Rabbitte

I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. I certainly will bring this back to the Minister. It is unfortunate that Vertex reneged on its commitment and agreement. It is highly frustrating for the Government and for the HSE to be in this particular position. There are 35 families possibly looking in here this morning and looking for hope. I hope that when the Minister meets with the CEO, with the clinical experts and with the patient representatives, there will be a positive outcome from the meeting. It is unfortunate that when one hears of a drug company reneging on its ten-year agreement, it puts other rare diseases at risk. It is important also to ensure that Mazars' report is published, which was our report. This review into how we do business on the licensing and funding of rare drugs is such an important piece in protecting and ensuring that people have access to rare drugs. This is why that relationship cannot be undermined and cannot break down. There must be a positive relationship between the HSE, the Government, and the drug companies to ensure that people and children who get rare diseases have access to drugs in a timely fashion. I will bring this issue back to the Minister.

Local Authorities

Deputy James O'Connor

With the kind consent of an Leas-Cheann Comhairle, would it be possible to share with Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan?

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

The Topical Issue matter was submitted in your own name and I am afraid there is no provision for that.

Deputy James O'Connor

Okay.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

There is provision for that before the taking of it, but not after.

Deputy James O'Connor

I acknowledge the presence of Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan, for whom this matter is of huge importance. I am sure he will also raise it in his own right.

I would like to discuss the significant and troubling work that the Office of the Planning Regulator, OPR, has been undertaking over the past 18 months in respect of the ongoing development plans of local authorities in Ireland. I want to raise this matter because in today's society we are living in an era of independent State agencies, which, though merits were hugely attributed to their creation, are stripping the State of the democratic vehicles that we should be relying upon. One of the agencies that I feel is guilty in this regard is the OPR. This is with regard to a number of key decisions the regulator has taken around county development plans within my county. There have been huge inadequate inadequacies in the decisions that have been taken on the county development plan.

I will give one key example of one town in my constituency. Fermoy is reliant on the M8 motorway between Cork and Dublin for its future growth, the provision of new jobs, and ensuring the town has a viable economic future for the development of industry within its own area. The OPR has been interfering with Cork County Council and members of the local authority in their desire to see that lands already zoned and that are serviced provide all of the infrastructure required for industry in that location and stripping them of their zoning for industrial use. I believe this is absolutely and utterly appalling.

We need to make a decision in this country about who runs it. We are seeing red tape, and now green tape, added to the decision-making process around what is zoned and what is not. Quite frankly, it is insulting to members of local authorities and to democratically elected Members of this Dáil that we continue to see such gross interference in county development plans of local authorities across the country. If we keep going in this direction it will come to the point where zoning as an issue will not be the responsibility of councillors any more. I have a major problem with this. I want to know what the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage thinks but, unfortunately, he is not present this morning to address what is a crucial issue for members of local authorities.

His Department has responsibility for local government for a reason. The actions of the agency under that Department's auspices show that it is not behaving in a manner that reflects this responsibility. It urgently needs to be dealt with now. For towns throughout the country, having an office of civil servants based in Dublin making decisions about what is in the best interest for locations such as Carrigtwohill and Fermoy, and for local authority areas across the country, is profoundly inappropriate. Those decisions should, by right, be made at a local level. Deputy O'Sullivan and myself have a serious issue with that. I would like to hear what the Department has to say in response.

Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Deputy Malcolm Noonan)

I thank the Deputy for his question and I also thank Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan.

The Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended gives the OPR a statutory basis to carry out three main functions. One core function of the OPR is the independent assessment of all local authority and regional assembly statutory plan making processes. This includes county and city development plans, local area plans, and regional spatial and economic strategies.

The OPR provides observations during the drafting of statutory plans. In cases where the OPR finds that a local authority's plans are ultimately not consistent with relevant regional or national policies, the OPR can recommend the use of Ministerial powers of direction to bring plans back in line with statutory requirements and best practice. These OPR recommendations must be published. If the Minister does not agree with the recommendation of the OPR and refuses to use the powers available to him or her, the Minister must prepare a statement of reasons for this decision, which is then laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas. It is a robust system.

Recommendations issued by the office relate to clear breaches of the relevant legislative provisions of the national or regional policy framework or the policy of Government, or both, as set out in ministerial guidelines under section 28 of the Act. As such, the planning authority is required to implement or address recommendations made by the office to ensure consistency with the relevant policy and legislative provisions.

The Minister's powers pursuant to the section 31 process are invoked on receipt of a notice issued by the OPR in accordance with section 31AM(8) of the Act.

Since its establishment in April 2019, the OPR has assessed and evaluated 22 city and county development plans to adoption stage. Of the 22 plans, 13 have been the subject of a section 31 notice letter from the office to the Minister of State with responsibility for planning and local government recommending that the Minister issue a draft direction. Twelve of the 13 draft directions have been issued by the Minister, and the Minister's final decision is due to be issued on 24 October in regard to the remaining recommendation.

Regarding the 12 draft directions issued by the Minister and pursuant to section 31AN(4) of the Act, the office subsequently recommended that the Minister issue final directions on nine. Of these, six have been issued. The remaining recommendations are under consideration by the Minister.

The planning issues that were the subject of the six section 31 final directions issued by the Minister on county development plan reviews can be summarised generally as follows: excessive and inappropriate land-use zonings for a variety of land uses, mainly residential use, often in peripheral locations at a remove from settlements and subject to a number of specific site constraints, including flooding, access and servicing; the inclusion of conflicting wind energy development policies; and prohibitive policies related to the banning or limiting of certain types of development.

There have been four occasions on which the Minister has decided not to include all of the recommendations made by the office in issuing either a draft or a final direction. These are listed as follows. The section 31 draft direction on the Kerry county development plan for the period 2022 to 2028 did not issue on one of the recommendations made by the OPR relating to renewable energy targets, specifically wind energy. The section 31 final direction on the Cork county development plan for the period 2022 to 2028 did not issue on two of the recommendations made by the OPR relating to retail planning policy. The section 31 final direction on the Westmeath county development plan for the period 2021 to 2027 did not issue on one of the recommendations made by the OPR relating to renewable energy targets, specifically wind energy. The section 31 final direction on the Laois county development plan for the period 2022 to 2028 did not issue on one of the recommendations made by the OPR relating to renewable energy targets, specifically wind energy. For each of the four listed, the Minister has prepared and submitted a statement of reasons to both Houses of the Oireachtas as to why he has not agreed with the recommendations of the OPR. Eight development plans are still in the review process and will remain subject to evaluation and assessment by the OPR.

I will refer specifically to the points raised by the Deputy when responding to supplementary questions.

Deputy James O'Connor

I thank the Minister of State for the information he has brought before the House but wish to raise the fact that the manner in which the OPR has dealt with the attempts of Cork county and city councils to provide a retail outlet centre in their development plans raises serious concerns about its judgment and understanding of its role in this particular process. The OPR's attempt to quash a variation of Cork's plan was rejected by the courts not on one but on two occasions. This indicates why I feel we are right to highlight this extremely concerning issue and the erosion of democratic power at local government level in this country. The judge stated this was not a borderline case, a decision on points or a line call but that it was a win in straight sets. I refer to the issue of going against legal advice. In raising this issue, I want to hammer home to the Department that there seems to be a growth in interference in county development plans. It is highly insulting to members of local authorities that this continues to happen. It is happening on a national basis. That an office in Dublin is trying to tell councillors in places such as Cork how they should conduct their affairs is highly concerning and should be stopped.

I am also extremely concerned about the future of rural development. In recent days, not only with the OPR but also with An Bord Pleanála, huge projects have effectively been shelved as a consequence of new legislation related to environmental targets. I have to question that. I am concerned about what it will do to local democracy if we do not put a stop to it now. I ask the Minister of State to take these points on board and bring them back to the Department.

I congratulate the Minister on the decision he took on the outlet centre. It was the correct one. Perhaps the same could be done regarding the issue in Fermoy.

Deputy Malcolm Noonan

It is interesting that on a day of excessive rainfall and orange rainfall warnings, we see that many of the areas that are prone to flooding across the country are such because of bad planning.

I reject outright the use of the term “interference” in respect of the OPR. The office plays a critical role in our planning system. It exists to guide and support the work of local authorities. There is robustness in that the Minister does not have to accept the recommendation. It is worth remembering that the OPR was formally established in 2019 on foot of recommendations made by the Tribunal to Inquire into Certain Planning Matters and Payments, the Mahon tribunal. The appointment of an independent planning regulator empowered to oversee the planning system in Ireland was one of the key recommendations of the tribunal.

I note the concerns raised by the Deputy on Cork but it is critical to note that the OPR is playing an important role, one that we and local authority members should value. We should regard it as a supportive role. Rather than interfering with development plans or democratic processes, it exists to guide and support local authorities in the essential work they do on planning.

Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence

Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill

I thank the Minister of State, Deputy James Browne, for attending for an important catch-up on domestic violence and domestic violence funding in the budget for 2023. As the Leas-Cheann Comhairle will know, I have taken opportunities over the year to highlight the names of victims of femicide – women identified by Women's Aid as having been killed since 1997 – to keep their names in the debate on domestic, gender-based and sexual violence. My doing so follows the outpouring of grief after the death of Ashling Murphy in Tullamore in January of this year.

The 19 women who died from domestic, sexual and gender-based violence in the month of September since 1997 are Elizabeth McCarthy, Maeve Byrne, Bettina Poeschel, Anna Finnegan, Theresa Doherty, Lisa Doyle, Ingrida Maciokaite, Linda Dunne, Ann Henry, Janet Mooney, Brenda Ahern, Sharon Coughlan, Melissa Mahon, Sheila McDonagh, Margaret Fahy, Eileen O'Sullivan, Marie O'Brien, Patricia Kierans and Raonaid Murray. I will never forget when Raonaid Murray died. We were about the same age. It was the first week back at college after the summer. Raonaid was a very young girl. Her killer has still not been found. Her family is from Glenageary, in my constituency. Her death was one that I remember with particular pain.

The 22 women and girls who died in October since 1997 are Charlene McAulliffe, Rachel O'Reilly, Amanda Jenkins, Geraldine Kissane, Manuela Riedo, Christina Hackett, Rebecca French, Meg Walsh, Joanne Mangan, Gillian Thornton, Marion O'Leary, Lorraine O'Connor, Amanda Carroll, Joselita da Silva, Kathleen Cuddihy, Rosemary Dowling, Aoife Phelan, Anne Colomines, Rachel Kiely, Natalie McGuinness, Seema Banu and Catherine Mullins. A number of those women's children were killed at the same time.

Doing this every two months is to give the women a name and voice on the Dáil record, because they were voiceless in death, and to remember them. It is also with a view to our being consistent in our follow-up and response to the very violent incidents that can happen. There is little point in expressing grief, shock and outrage without follow-up actions, whether these involve remembering all the women in a consistent way, in the way we do, or the follow-up that the Department of Justice has been engaged in for some time, particularly through the publication of the third strategy earlier this year and the funding that goes with that.

I congratulate the Department on its work over recent years on consolidating its policy and delivery role regarding domestic, gender-based and sexual violence of services. As the Minister of State will know, I have been critical of the disparate approaches across agencies and of how this led to a lack of delivery in some circumstances. It was not the primary role of Tusla, for example. Domestic violence services, in particular, lost out as a consequence of that.

The most important way they have lost out is through the lack of clarity on their funding. I refer particularly to a lack of multi-annual funding that would allow them to plan for the development of their services not just this year, but into next year, and to engage in capital project planning alongside the day-to-day delivery of services. I am keen to hear the Minister of State's update on the Department's perspective on this matter, particularly with regard to the multi-annual funding element, which would be of great significance to domestic violence service providers and partners of government all over the country.

Minister of State at the Department of Justice (Deputy James Browne)

I thank Deputy Carroll MacNeill for raising the very important and serious issue of domestic violence and the funding granted by the Government to deal with this very serious matter.

As the Deputy is aware, earlier this year the Minister for Justice, Deputy McEntee, launched Zero Tolerance, our third national strategy to combat domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. It is an ambitious five-year programme of reform and a whole-of-society plan of action. It builds on the substantial progress made through the implementation of the second national strategy and will further progress a number of important actions contained in Supporting a Victim's Journey. It was developed in partnership with the sector to ensure it is targeted, comprehensive and effective in achieving all of the goals set out and is built on the four pillars of the Istanbul Convention, namely, prevention, protection, prosecution and policy co-ordination.

A central element of the strategy is that everyone who needs a refuge space should be able to access one. As a start, this strategy commits to doubling the number of refuge places. This will be the fastest ever expansion of refuge spaces. We will also work to deliver additional safe home and step-down accommodation. When people are faced with the difficult choice to leave an abusive situation, the Minister wants them to know exactly where they can turn to for help. This will be done through the creation of clear integrated local pathways for adults and child victims and survivors to access information, services and supports.

Implementation of the third national strategy is a whole-of-government priority, backed up by a substantial funding commitment under budget 2023. Under budget 2023, the Minister was able to secure an extra €9 million for 2023, a 22% increase representing record funding for combating domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. This €9 million includes increased funding of €7 million for organisations funded by Tusla to address acute service demands in existing services throughout the country and for investment in new services as outlined in Zero Tolerance. This brings the total allocated to Tusla for funding domestic, sexual and gender-based violence services up to €37 million.

Separate from this, we have allocated over €6 million for measures to tackle domestic, sexual and gender-based violence such as awareness raising campaign measures and funding the Choices programme for reforming perpetrators of domestic violence. Again, this represents a record level of funding in this area.

A further €5.8 million has been allocated to promote and assist the development of specific support services for victims of crime within the criminal justice system, which of course includes victims of domestic and sexual crime. These services provide important information and support such as emotional support, court accompaniment, accompaniment to Garda interviews and sexual assault treatment units and referral to other services. Tusla will be engaging with funded domestic, sexual and gender-based violence organisations on service and funding agreements for 2023 over the coming weeks. Specific funding to individual organisations will be agreed as part of that process and the Minister will be able to provide more information to the House once the details on core funding have been notified to the individual organisations.

Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill

The Government is to provide funding agreements for 2023 in the coming weeks. That is a big improvement. It seems so obvious that funding for 2023 should be agreed in 2022 but I have worked with organisations that have received funding for a given calendar year which was only signed off on in November of that same year. Obviously, they cannot work in that way. Not all of those people whose names I have read out were in situations of domestic violence. The violence against some, including Ashling Murphy and Raonaid Murray, which was at the most extreme end of the scale, was random in nature. However, that is not to say that domestic violence does not need to be treated with the same seriousness.

I have two questions. To what degree have domestic violence spaces been expanded already in 2022? Is there any update on the provision of a refuge in Dún Laoghaire, which does not have one? The funding is available, the local authority is behind the proposal and the Department has been engaged but it has still not been delivered. An update on that would be very helpful.

I will make one more point. As the Minister of State has said, refuge spaces are needed for people to get out of violent situations but they can also be needed at different stages of the criminal justice process. I am working with a woman and, with regard to her case, there is an arrest pending in whatever period of time. Even where people have already managed to very bravely get themselves out of difficult and violent situations, new moments of risk and threat can be created throughout the criminal justice process. It is really important that the Department is aware of that and of the safety needs of individuals, as I know An Garda Síochána is. There can be a requirement for people to go into safe and protected spaces at different stages of the criminal justice process. I ask that the Department anticipate that as it builds out refuge spaces. They are not just needed in emergency situations.

Deputy James Browne

I again thank the Deputy for raising this very important issue. I do not have specific numbers with regard to the expansion of spaces in 2022 or details on the situation in Dún Laoghaire but I will get answers for the Deputy from the Department in that regard. I will also bring the Deputy's concerns with regard to expanding the availability of refuge spaces beyond emergency situations to victims who need to attend court at various stages in the criminal justice process.

On behalf of the Minister, I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. It is a priority of the Minister for Justice to tackle domestic violence through the provision of victim-centred supports and services and ensuring that perpetrators are punished, along with the important prevention work to address the behaviour and attitudes that underlie these types of violence. Last month, the Minister hosted a Council of Europe ministerial conference to help ensure that this is a priority right across Europe as well as here in Ireland.

To deliver the types of excellent services, supports and accommodation that victims and survivors deserve and to set world-class standards in service provision, we are now in the process of establishing a statutory agency with a dedicated focus on domestic, sexual and gender-based violence under the aegis of the Department of Justice. The agency will have a specific mandate to drive the implementation of the new strategy across government, bringing the expertise and focus required to tackle this complex social issue. The new agency will work collaboratively with the NGO and domestic, sexual and gender-based violence services sector to ensure that the best possible services are in place to meet the needs of victims and survivors. It is our objective to establish the new agency on 1 January 2024. In the interim, a memorandum of understanding solidifying the working relationship between the Department of Justice, the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and Tusla ensures services continue and expand and keeps me up to date on developments in the domestic, sexual and gender-based violence sector. The Minister knows there is much to do but, along with our Government colleagues, we are determined to do whatever is necessary.