The national steering committee on violence against women was established following the 1997 report of the task force on violence against women. Its purpose is to provide a multi-disciplinary, multi-agency and cohesive response to the problem of violence against women and it is chaired by the Minister of State at the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy Fahey.
My Department does not directly fund or co-ordinate health and personal social services to victims of abuse. Moneys are made available each year, formerly through the health boards, and now through the Health Service Executive, for the provision of services to women victims of violence. In recent years there has been a substantial increase in funding so that now over €12 million is provided annually for the provision of such services. It is now a matter for the Health Service Executive to resouce the provision of these services.