Planned national domestic violence agency to 'assist' Laois shelter planned

A planned new national domestic violence agency will assist in the opening of a Laois shelter costed at €1.75 million but it will not change the process of setting up a refuge, claims to the Department of Finance.

The Department issued a statement on the impact of the new agency on work being advanced by Laois County Council to provide a refuge in the county.

It said the Minister for Justice, Simon Harris TD, has secured Government approval for the drafting of legislation to create a statutory agency dedicated to tackling and reducing domestic, sexual and gender-based violence.

The Department said a key responsibility of the agency will be overseeing and supporting the provision of refuge accommodation for victims to help deliver on the Government’s commitment to double the number of refuge places and increase the number of safe homes and other accommodation.

A statement issued on March 6 said the process would also ensure that there is a permanent structure to help deliver further refuge accommodation over the long term.

To assist with this, the new agency will prepare and publish standards for service provision and governance in respect of the services and accommodation, and monitor adherence to those standards.

Laois County Council has advanced plans to locate a centre in Portlaoise with the Laois Domestic Abuse Service at a cost of €1.75 million. County councillors were told in 2022 that a site had been identified.

The Leinster Express asked the Department of Justice if the new agency, which will not be set up until at least January 2023, would have an impact on this plan. 

"In advance of establishing the Agency, it is not envisaged that the current process for developing a refuge will change but organisations can expect additional support structures to assist in the delivery of new refuge accommodation.

"This work includes the development of agreed processes and approaches to ensure we have the highest standard of refuge accommodation, delivered in the most efficient way and the allocation of a very significant increase in funding under Budget 2023," said the Department.

It said a Tusla review of accommodation services for victims of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence identified priority locations where between 50 and 60 new refuge places are needed.

It confirmed that further analysis undertaken identified 12 locations nationwide where the delivery of 98 family refuge spaces would have the most impact if prioritised.

"Portlaoise is one of the priority areas identified and Tusla and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage will be working with local stakeholders to support and expedite the delivery of the new refuge places and associated support services," said the statement.

It said the establishment of the new statutory-based agency was in line with a key recommendation of the audit of responsibility for domestic, sexual and gender-based violence (DSGBV). The inclusion of this as a priority action in the Third National Strategy will bring responsibility for the funding and commissioning of DSGBV services, which currently sits with Tusla,  under the remit of the Department of Justice, who will continue to have policy responsibility for this area.

"In delivering on the commitment to double the number of refuge places across the county, the new Agency will work with relevant Departments and with the sector to advance existing proposals and to support local organisations to advance new proposals, initially in the priority locations identified," it said.

The need for a refuge in Laois has been campaigned for has been highlighted over many years. The need came into sharp focus after the murder of Aisling Murphy in Tullamore in 2022. Offaly has no refuge either. 

The Department says a Memorandum of Understanding is currently in place between the Department of Justice, the Department of Children, Equality, Disability Integration and Youth (DCEDIY), and Tusla to ensure the orderly transition of DSGBV services to the Department of Justice and ultimately the new agency upon its establishment.

The primary functions of the Agency are:

• To plan, commission and fund the provision of support services for victims of domestic, sexual or gender-based violence and persons who may be at risk of any such form of violence;
• Oversee and provide support for the provision of refuge accommodation for victims;
• Prepare and publish standards for service provision and governance in respect of the services and accommodation (and monitor adherence to those standards);
• Compile, maintain and appropriately promote and distribute information (including information for children and young persons) on services;
• Develop and implement general and sector-specific information campaigns;
• Provide assistance to the Minister in the development and evaluation of a national strategy and implementation plan;
• Coordinate the implementation of the national strategy and implementation plan;
• Provide advice and support to other public bodies, civil society organisations and service providers in the development of relevant training and educational programmes;
• Provide advice or make proposals to the Minister in relation to the functions of the Agency and on policy matters related;
• Undertake, commission or collaborate in domestic and international research projects and evaluation on issues relating to DSGBV and to assist in the development of statistical information appropriate for the planning, delivery and monitoring of programmes and services for persons affected.

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Minister for Justice Simon Harris said: “This new agency will be tasked with ensuring the delivery of services to victims of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, and with driving and coordinating the implementation of the Third National Strategy across Government. 

"It will bring the dedicated and expert focus that is needed to tackle this serious and complex societal issue.

"The agency will be up and running by next January. Publishing the General Scheme is a significant milestone on that path, and I wish to thank colleagues and the sector for their support for this important work.

"This sends a clear message from Government that domestic and gender-based violence will never be tolerated. I want to thank my colleague Minister McEntee for leading on this as part of the Zero Tolerance strategy,” he said.

A statement said new legislation – including the core statutory functions set out for the agency – has been guided by the Strategy, and by engagement with relevant Government departments and State bodies, including the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and Tusla, from whom the new agency will take over the provision of services to victims.

The Department said there has also been significant consultation with the non-governmental sector under an agreed principle of ‘co-design’ with those delivering frontline services.