• Deputy calls for urgent provision of domestic refuge centre for Cavan/Monaghan 

Fianna Fáil TD for Cavan and Monaghan, Brendan Smith has welcomed extra funding for areas of the country or categories of victims not currently fully covered by support services for victims. He has also reiterated his call for the provision of a domestic refuge centre for Cavan/Monaghan as a matter of urgency.

Deputy Brendan Smith commented, “This welcome funding announcement coincides with International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and the start of the UN’s 16 Days of Activism against gender-based violence. 18 organisations across the country are receiving a total of €445,000 in funding this year.

“As part of a recent mapping exercise undertaken by the Minister for Justice to identify gaps in funding and how to address them, a number of organisations were identified where additional funding would allow them to provide further services and to increase the geographical spread of support to victims of crime.

“This funding will help the particular organisations in their ability to support victims primarily by increasing phone line hours, emotional support, and increased court accompaniment.

“The need for an increase in regional-based domestic abuse services was highlighted by the mapping exercise, so the geographical spread of support will be increased.”

The Cavan and Monaghan TD added: “I have also called, once again, on the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Roderic O’Gorman and Tusla to ensure the provision of a domestic refuge centre in Cavan/Monaghan without further delay.

“Tackling domestic, sexual and gender based crime is a priority for Fianna Fáil in Government. Ensuring all required services and help are available to all victims of abuse or crime is a key objective”

The extra funding announced today is being provided in 2021. This is separate from increased funding recently announced under Budget 2022 for combatting domestic, sexual and gender based violence and for supporting victims of crime, which includes:

An additional €2.4m for specific awareness raising and training programmes on domestic, sexual and gender based violence (DSGBV) bringing to €5.35m the funding available for combatting domestic sexual and gender based violence.

An additional €1.1m will be used to begin putting in place a legal advice and legal aid service in court for victims of sexual violence.

An additional €1 million is being provided under the Garda Vote to provide accommodation for Divisional Protective Service Units. 

The Budget 2022 allocation also includes €4.9m to support Victims of Crime.

ENDS

Notes for Editors

Funding Background

Following publication of Supporting a Victim’s Journey the Department of Justice established specific sub-groups to work on implementing some of the O’Malley Review recommendations. One of these, with NGO representatives, was tasked with carrying out a review of the supports and funding of civil society organisations providing frontline services and mapping the journey that faces the victim.

To support this a funding call was placed in December 2020 for frontline support services for Domestic abuse, Sexual crime, Human Trafficking and Victims of crime generally. The Department commissioned an expert consultant to analyse and categorise the supports provided with grant funding from the Department of Justice in 2021 to-date under the Victims of Crime grant scheme

This exercise identified a) geographical areas and b) categories of victims which represent gaps or unmet needs in the current provision of support services for victims of crime within the criminal justice system.

The mapping exercise was completed in July 2021 and a number of organisations were identified where additional funding would allow them to provide additional services and to increase the geographical spread of support. 18 organisations are allocated funding ranging from €10k to €150k

16 Days of Activism

November 25 marks the first day of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence which is an annual international campaign that kicks off on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and will run until 10 December, Human Rights Day.

The global theme this year is “Orange the world: End violence against women now!”. It is 30 years since the start of the 16 Days campaign- and this topic is as important now as it was 30 years ago.

Through social media activity across the 16 days the Department of Justice will be supporting this UN campaign and will be using #OrangetheWorld to highlight some of the work we have achieved across the justice sector over the last 30 years in tackling this issue, informing victims of the supports available and signposting where you can find information on how to help those you suspect may be in an abusive relationship.

25/11/2021