Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 23 March 2022
154. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the engagement he has had with the Minister for Justice, Deputy McEntee, with regard to the implementation of the recommendations of the Tusla review of accommodation services for victims of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15498/22]
View answerI appreciate the Deputy’s ongoing interest in relation to Tusla's review of accommodation services to support victims of Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (DSGBV).
As you are aware, in mid July 2021, the Minister for Justice and I jointly submitted a memorandum to Government on matters relating to DSGBV. We asked the Government to note Tusla’s Review, which presents recommendations on the future configuration of accommodation and services that are required to meet the needs of victims of DSGBV.
In September 2021, Tusla gave a presentation to all stakeholders attending the Monitoring Committee for the Second National Strategy on DSGBV, with a view to achieving a national consensus within the sector on the proposed response to these needs.
Towards the end of 2021, i had a number of discussions with Minister McEntee with regard to issues relating to the publication of the Review and associated matters linked to the forthcoming 3rd national strategy on DSGBV. I also wrote to the Minister for Housing, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and the Minister for Social Protection to make them aware of the Review. I asked them to consider its findings when taking broader Government decisions towards the development of the 3rd national strategy.
In February 2022, the Minister for Justice and I jointly submitted a memorandum to the Government on the publication of Tusla's Review. We requested the Government to note that the Programme for Government commits to implement a plan for future refuge space and recommends an approach to address this with immediate, medium and long term actions. We jointly issued a statement on the publication of the review.
A High Level Interdepartmental Group (IDG), as recommended by the Review, has been established to explore issues around refuge provision and service expansion.
The IDG is chaired by the Department of Justice, with members from my Department, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, and Tusla. This Group is reviewing the current system for provision of refuge spaces, engaging with the sector and looking at ways to expedite delivery of refuge spaces.
