Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 September 2021
534. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will facilitate a meeting with a service (details supplied) and with Members of the Houses of the Oireachtas from County Donegal to discuss serious concerns in relation to the ongoing failure of the Government and State agencies to adequately resource the vital service which has been provided for many years. [46531/21]
View answerTusla has responsibility for the care and protection of victims of Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (DSGBV). Tusla provides funding to some 60 services throughout Ireland that work with and support survivors of DSGBV. I understand that the service in question is in receipt of funding from Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, for the provision of counselling services for children.
I have no direct role in relation to how Tusla undertakes its day to day operations. Tusla's approach to the commissioning services is undertaken to ensure that the total resources available to services are applied to improving outcomes in the most efficient, effective, equitable, proportionate and sustainable way. In this case I might suggest that the Deputy should in the first instance assist the organisation in seeking a meeting with Tusla representatives.
Tusla has acknowledged that accessibility is an issue for many service users in rural areas, and supports organisations to develop and enhance outreach services in order to improve service access. Significant funding has been provided to services in recent years for this purpose. In Donegal, core funding is provided to two domestic violence services, Donegal Women’s Domestic Violence Service (DWDVS) and Donegal Women’s Centre. DWDVS is the primary organisation delivering domestic violence support services across Donegal, including Inishowen.
