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Child and Family Agency Services

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 March 2019

Tuesday, 5 March 2019

Ceisteanna (505)

Gerry Adams

Ceist:

505. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her views on recent media reports that waiting times for rape crisis counselling have increased in view of the fact that funding has stagnated; and if a review of the assessment of service demands carried out by Tusla which determines the distribution of funding to individual rape crisis centres will be undertaken. [10716/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Under the Child and Family Agency Act, 2013, 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 16 Rape Crisis Centres by providing services for individuals who have experienced sexual violence.

Since taking up office, in 2016, as Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, I have prioritised the development of Domestic, Sexual and Gender Based Violence (DSGBV) services. This has been reflected in the level of additional funding provided to Tusla for these services.

In 2017, Tusla provided €22.1 million in funding to domestic, sexual and gender based violence services, an increase of €1.5m over 2016 funding. This level of funding was increased by €1.7m in 2018, bringing the total level of funding for DSGBV services to €23.8m. This funding was increased again in 2019, this time by €1.5m bringing the total level of funding to €25.3m.

Additional funding in 2019 will support the development of enhanced domestic, sexual and gender based violence services, including continued implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention) and the Second National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender Based Violence (2016 – 2021).

Tusla is responsible for the provision of services, and allocates funding to individual DSGBV organisations throughout the country. The distribution of funding to individual Rape Crisis Centres is determined by Tusla following an assessment of service demands throughout the country. Tusla has conducted, and continues to conduct, regional needs analysis projects in order to ascertain the greatest needs within a particular area for DSGBV services.

Tusla has advised me that it has a mechanism in place to enable services to apply for additional funding to increase their service provision. The mechanism requires that a business case is made and evidence is provided for both the need for additional service provision, and the organisation's capacity for additional service development. Applications are considered within budget constraints and in line with commissioning priorities. Tusla has advised that it also engages proactively with funded organisations to allocate resources for service developments.

Tusla has developed considerable expertise in this area and I support the continued development of sexual violence services in Ireland, as evidenced by the increased funding provided since 2016.

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