Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 22 June 2023
275. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Justice the reason there was a net reduction in the number of refuge spaces available in County Louth from 15 in quarter 3 2022 to 13 in quarter 2 2023, the only net reduction of spaces in the country; how this will be addressed through the provision of additional spaces in the near future; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30240/23]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, the Government will establish a statutory agency with a dedicated focus on Domestic Sexual and Gender-Based Violence.
The agency will have a specific mandate to drive the implementation of the Zero Tolerance: Third National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence across Government, bringing the expertise and focus required to tackle this complex social issue. Pending establishment of the Agency, responsibility for domestic violence services continues to be managed by Tusla.
As this will continue to be the case until services formally transfer to the new DSGBV agency, I have referred the question posed by the Deputy to Tusla for direct reply.
However, in the interim it may interest the Deputy to know that key priority under the Third National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender Based Violence, is to double the number of refuge places over the lifetime of the Strategy. Alongside this we will continue to deliver additional safe homes and step down accommodation.
Development of 24 refuge units is underway in Wexford, Dundalk and Navan to be delivered by 2024. There will be 98 refuge units in priority locations delivered by 2025 along with a further 19 additional and upgraded units by the end of the strategy.
