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“Extra €1.5m will go to frontline services, court supports and outreach to victims in minority communities”
Statement by the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs,
Dr Katherine Zappone

Wednesday 1st March 2017

Support services for victims of sexual, domestic and gender based violence are to receive €22.1m in funding for the current year, according to the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Dr Katherine Zappone.

Funding has been increased by €1.5m on last year and will be used by the Child and Family Agency Tusla to support frontline services, improve supports for victims within the Courts system as well as meeting the needs of minority communities.

Speaking in the Dáil Minister Zappone said:

“I am very pleased that this year an extra €1.5m for domestic, sexual and gender based violence services.

In my instructions to Tusla for their 2017 Business Plan, I highlighted these services as a priority for me and the government. This funding is in addition to the €20.6m allocated to these services in 2016.

It is a much needed step in the right direction following the cuts to these vital services in recent years.

Tusla, the Child and Family Agency has statutory responsibility for the care and protection of victims of domestic, sexual and gender based violence whether in the context of the family or otherwise.

Tusla allocates funding to a network of 60 organisations including 20 services providing emergency refuge accommodation to women and children, 16 rape crisis centres and 24 community-based domestic violence services.

It is my job as Minister and Tusla’s job as the agency responsible to ensure that limited resources are targeted so that vulnerable people who find themselves in desperate situations get the support they need.

Supporting and protecting victims and their families is a key priority for me in the negotiations for Government and the provision of extra supports is another step to ensuring that those confronted with violence are offered proper supports and protections.“