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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 6 Apr 1995

Vol. 451 No. 7

Written Answers. - Domestic Violence.

Noel Dempsey

Ceist:

22 Mr. Dempsey asked the Minister for Health the action, if any, he intends to take on foot of the policy document for women's refuges which was recently launched by the National Federation for Women's Refuges. [3154/95]

Helen Keogh

Ceist:

24 Ms Keogh asked the Minister for Health his response to the pre-budget submission from Women's Aid outlining plans for the support and care of abused women and children: and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1996/95]

Helen Keogh

Ceist:

28 Ms Keogh asked the Minister for Health, in view of the escalating rates and seriousness of domestic violence, if he intends to make more funds and resources available for the establishment of new refuges. [1997/95]

Mary Flaherty

Ceist:

51 Miss Flaherty asked the Minister for Health the number of persons that were turned away from refuges for victims of family violence in the years 1993 and 1994; and the plans, if any, he has for expanding the service and reducing these figures. [1919/95]

, Limerick East): I propose to take Questions Nos. 22, 24, 28 and 51 together.

I have studied the policy document that the National Federation of Refuges for Abused Women and their Children have recently launched. It makes a number of important recommendations for tackling the problem of domestic violence. In so far as my own area of responsibility is concerned, I fully recognise the essential role of women's refuges as a key element in the range of support services required to address this problem. I am particularly conscious of the fact that, while comprehensive information on the number of women who are unable to obtain accommodation in women's refuges is not available, there does appear to be a shortfall in the overall level of provision. For this reason my Department has asked the federation to prepare detailed costings of the relevant recommendations contained in their policy document. I have also arranged to have the policy document made available to all health boards for urgent consideration in the context of the preparation of their service plans for 1995.

I want to assure the House that I am committed to the development of appropriate services within the health area for victims of domestic violence. It is my intention to build on the developments, costing in the region of £350,000, which were approved last year. These included: Eastern Health Board — an increase of £50,000 annually in the level of financial support to women's refuges in the Dublin area; Midland Health Board — the provision of new counselling services for victims of family violence in Athlone and Tullamore; North-Eastern Health Board — the setting up of new services for victims of domestic violence in Dundalk; North-Western Health Board — additional funding for Women's Aid, Letterkenny; Mid-Western Health Board — increased financial support for Adapt Refuge, Limerick to employ a child care worker; South-Eastern Health Board — increased funding for Oasis Hostel in Waterford and for the development of additional refuge places in the region; Southern Health Board — increased support for Adapt Women's Refuge, Tralee and for Cuanlee Refuge in Cork; Western Health Board — the development of a facility in Castlebar for victims of domestic violence.
As I have indicated, it is my intention that continued progress will be made in this very important area during 1995. As a first step, I have approved the payment of grants through the health boards of £55,000 towards the running costs of the Freephone National Helpline Service provided by Women's Aid and £20,000 to the National Federation of Refuges for Abused Women and their Children to support their co-ordinating activities. When the national federation have submitted detailed costings of their recommendations, I intend to examine, as a matter of urgency, what additional investment needs to be made in women's refuges and related services over and above what was made available in 1994.
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