Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 3 December 2020
89. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the additional supports which will be provided for those seeking places in refuges during the Christmas period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40754/20]
View answerAs the Christmas period approaches, what are the Minister's plans to increase supports for those seeking places in domestic violence refugees? This has been an incredibly difficult and challenging year for that sector. We are in the middle of the 16 days of action highlighting domestic abuse and violence. As this is day nine, it is an appropriate time to reflect on the Minister's plans.
Tusla has statutory responsibility for the care and protection of victims of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. This year my Department is providing €25.3 million to Tusla in core funding for domestic, sexual and gender-based violence services. I am also providing an additional resource of €2 million to deal with specific once-off Covid issues.
Tusla is aware that there were and continue to be issues for those experiencing domestic violence arising from the Covid-19 situation. There may be particular concerns for victims around the Christmas period. This is why since the beginning of the Covid-19 crisis, Tusla has prioritised domestic, sexual and gender-based violence services while actively engaging with all services to support a continuity of service, as well as to provide contingencies around service provision.
Tusla has advised that there are currently 143 accommodation units available. Of these, 103 are within the normal framework of refuge provision. Due to the requirements for social distancing, there was a reduction in 36 of the family units within that framework. In response to that need to reduce, however, Tusla has funded 25 additional off-site units and an additional 15 safe homes. The most recent information we have from Tusla is that 106 units are already occupied, meaning there is capacity in the system for anyone in need. Tusla is keeping the situation under review. It has a systematic feedback and communications mechanism in place with the domestic violence service provider organisations regarding issues and difficulties that arise for organisations during this time. Any specific measures implemented for the Christmas period will be based on feedback from services about pressures arising in December.
I have already confirmed that next year Tusla will be allocated additional funding of €4.7 million to support domestic, sexual and gender-based violence services across the country. A total of €30 million will be made available for domestic, sexual and gender-based violence services next year. There is an additional €2.7 million in core funding which will bring it to €28 million, as well as €2 million in Covid contingency funding.
As the Minister is aware, there has been an increase in domestic violence incidents this year with some 3,000 extra incidents reported. They are the ones reported. We do not know how many go unreported. It is important that all of what the Minister just outlined is made available to the public as far as is possible. There are many people who may not be able to access some of the wonderful work and services available to them locally.
What engagement has Tusla with local authorities? In particular, local authority housing services are often the first point of contact for public representatives who may be approached by somebody looking for emergency accommodation. What resource and spaces are available there?
I want to take this time to acknowledge and commend An Garda Síochána on its work through Operation Faoiseamh. It does extraordinary, often unheralded, work right across the country, particularly this year. I would like to see extra resources given to Operation Faoiseamh for the period ahead.
I agree that getting that information out is important. On Monday, I had the privilege to be present at the launch of an information booklet by the CYPSC, Children and Young People's Services Committees, for Fingal and Dublin north city, giving specific and invaluable information - I think is based on one from Roscommon - on domestic violence services in those particular areas.
The Deputy made an important point about local authorities often being the first point of contact. One point discussed during the programme for Government negotiations was that there is an element of fragmentation about the responses to domestic violence with the policy and criminal side based in the Department of Justice, some of the housing elements being in the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and with Tusla falling within my Department's remit. An audit is being undertaken to review the overall responsibility and co-ordination for domestic violence services in this country compared with other jurisdictions. It will make proposals on how we can streamline and better focus policy and delivery.
I welcome that review and remember those discussions. Will the Minister give me a timeline as to when that review will be completed and when he hopes to have an action plan around it?
Many of the voluntary organisations in question have had a difficult year in terms of fundraising and their ability to fundraise. This is the time of year when they need those funds mostly. Will the Minister or the Minister for Rural and Community Development, Deputy Humphreys, or the Minister of State in that Department, Deputy Joe O'Brien, be in a position to make extra funding available to them for this period to ensure their services will not be impacted due to a lack of financial resources?
On the matter of extra funding from my Department, as I said earlier, we made Covid contingency funding available. An extra €2 million has been put in this year specifically for Covid-related demands. The final tranche of that is being released at the moment. Tusla held it back for the Christmas period knowing the need for demand. A further €2 million Covid contingency will be available for next year from January.
As regards the timeline for the audit, we just put out the tender documents and we are reviewing them. A nine-month timeline was set out in the programme for Government. We are still hoping to meet that. It might go a little bit over that but we would hope that early next year we will have that audit complete. Then we will be able to bring forward the action plan to review it with the Minister for Justice, Deputy McEntee.
