Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 July 2013
113. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to address the need for specific emergency housing for victims of domestic abuse and plans to work with advocacy groups like Women's Aid and Safe Ireland to determine what is needed. [33785/13]
View answerResponsibility for the development and provision of services to support victims of domestic abuse rests with the Minister for Health and is delivered through the Health Service Executive. In addition Cosc, the National Office for the Prevention of Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence, which was established in June 2007 as an executive office of the Department of Justice and Equality, works to ensure the delivery of a coordinated response to issues of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence across Government. Actions to ensure effectiveness and consistency in housing responses for victims of domestic violence are set out in Action 10 of the National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence 2010-2014. My Department is developing the necessary guidance to implement this action.
My Department’s responsibility is in respect of homelessness which in some cases involves the provision of current funding, under Section 10 of the Housing Act 1988, towards the operational costs of refuges for the victims of domestic abuse. Statutory responsibility in relation to the provision of accommodation and related services for homeless persons rests with the housing authorities. My Department has no function in regard to, nor is it involved in, decisions on operational matters.
Persons who are forced to leave their homes due to domestic violence may, however, be placed in accommodation arranged by local authorities without having to be entered on the waiting list. In the longer term, victims of domestic violence may qualify under Section 20 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 for entry on a waiting list for social housing support if, in addition to meeting the normal eligibility criteria, the housing authority considers that their current accommodation is unsuitable, having regard to particular household circumstances or on exceptional medical or compassionate grounds.
My Department is keeping the social housing assessment provisions under review and will consider what wider discretion might be given to housing authorities by way of Regulations to address the individually difficult and complex cases which may present to them.
Under my Department’s Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS) funding is available to Approved Housing Bodies for the provision of accommodation to meet the needs of persons with specific categories of housing need including victims of domestic violence. My Department’s involvement with the CAS relates primarily to the provision of funds for individual projects. The detailed administration of the scheme, including the appraisal of proposals, the certification that projects comply with the terms and conditions of the funding scheme and the processing of applications for funding, are the responsibility of the relevant housing authority. Approvals are largely based on the prioritisation afforded to individual proposals by the local authority in question.
