As the Deputy will be aware, in June of last year Government launched Zero Tolerance, the Third National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence.
In line with the priority which we are attaching to tackling domestic, sexual and gender based violence, we will double the number of refuge spaces over the lifetime of the strategy, bringing it to 280. This will be the fastest ever expansion of refuge spaces.
An interdepartmental group is developing and progressing agreed processes and approaches to ensure we have the highest standard of refuge accommodation, delivered in the most efficient way.
In addition, Safe Homes - another form of emergency domestic violence accommodation, are an important part of the response.
Safe Homes are usually provided as a separate unit of accommodation, for example a flat or a house, at a community or local level.
It generally suits those at low to medium risk of serious harm. We expect to increase the number of Safe Homes by 15 this year.
As the Deputy is aware this Zero Tolerance Strategy is a whole of Government Strategy with actions assigned to various departments and agencies, including the Department of Housing who are working very closely with Tusla and with my Department to address the housing needs of victims of domestic violence.
Insofar as the question of longer-term and step-down facilities is concerned, the new DSGBV Agency which will be established in January 2024, working with Department of Housing, will review the pathways into this type of non-emergency accommodation. I expect this will be reflected in future national housing strategies, which come under the remit of my colleague the Minister for Housing.
