Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, has statutory responsibility for the provision of care and protection to victims of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. In discharging its statutory responsibility, Tusla supports emergency refuges in providing services for women and children fleeing domestic violence. Tusla also provides a range of community-based supports to victims.
In 2017, Tusla is providing €22.1 million in funding to domestic, sexual and gender-based violence services, an increase of €1.5m over 2016 funding.
Capital funding for refuge developments falls under the remit of the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, and local housing authorities. Funding provided by Tusla supports the revenue costs and contributes to support services provided by refuges.
In 2016, the provision of domestic violence refuge spaces nationally was 147 emergency refuge family units. The following table provides information on emergency refuge accommodation by county.
|
County
|
Number of Emergency Refuge Family Units
|
|
Limerick
|
14
|
|
Kerry
|
6
|
|
Kilkenny
|
7
|
|
Dublin
|
37
|
|
Wicklow
|
6
|
|
Clare
|
6
|
|
Galway
|
6
|
|
Tipperary
|
4
|
|
Cork
|
6
|
|
Donegal
|
4
|
|
Louth
|
13
|
|
Westmeath
|
4
|
|
Mayo
|
5
|
|
Meath
|
5
|
|
Waterford
|
16
|
|
Kildare
|
4
|
|
Wexford
|
4
|
|
Total
|
147
|
Tusla does not have access to live data on refuge use. However, information provided by funded domestic violence services indicates that refuges consistently operate at full or near full capacity. Any vacancies are generally attributed to the turnover between the discharge and admission of clients.
There are currently a number of emergency refuge developments in train, with over 10 additional family units to become available nationally.
Services to victims of domestic violence in counties Cavan and Monaghan are provided by Tearmann Domestic Violence Services. In 2017, Tusla is providing funding of €192,000 to Tearmann Domestic Violence Services for the provision of support and advocacy services. A range of integrated supports are required in order to reduce the need for women and families to use emergency accommodation and to ensure that families disrupted by domestic violence can be supported to resume normal and safe family living beyond refuge-type accommodation, within the shortest possible timeframe.
Currently, there are no emergency refuges located in counties Cavan and Monaghan. However, there are three refuge services located in counties Louth and Meath which are responsible for providing services to women and families across the wider North East area.
Tusla recognises that there are challenges to be addressed in ensuring that there is an appropriate configuration of spaces available to all women and children who require emergency refuge accommodation, and that those with the greatest need for safe accommodation, are prioritised appropriately.
