Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 6 December 2005
386 Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his views on setting up an integrated domestic violence intervention project as a pilot scheme in a number of diverse areas as recommended by the Law Society’s law reform committee in its 1999 report, Domestic Violence: A Case for Reform, Safety and Sanctions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38019/05]
View answerThe overall approach of the State to the problem of domestic violence is to emphasise intervention and an integrated response, as reflected in the co-ordination work of the national steering committee on violence against women, NSC, and in the Garda policy on domestic violence intervention. The NSC is currently working on an new strategy and action plan which will seek to further develop this approach.
Within this general framework, my Department funds a number of organisations providing domestic violence intervention programmes of various types. These include programmes working with perpetrators run by MOVE, Men Overcoming Violence, Ireland, the south east domestic violence intervention programmes and the north east domestic violence intervention project, as well as a pilot domestic violence intervention project in the Bray, Dún Laoghaire area. The provision of funding to any such project is subject to the programme in question making the safety of the victim and any children involved, its first priority. In addition, all such programmes must undergo independent evaluation, the outcome of which will inform future policy and funding in this area.
387 Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will make a statement on the lack of refuge spaces in the Dublin region for women fleeing domestic violence; and his plans to address the issue. [38020/05]
View answerThe Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government provides funding towards the capital cost of providing refuge accommodation under its capital assistance scheme. Current funding is also provided by that Department, through the local authorities, towards the accommodation related running costs. The Department of Health and Children makes funding available each year to the Health Service Executive, for health care and welfare costs, including the costs of providing care staff in accommodation.
An interdepartmental sub-group of the national steering committee on violence against women, which is chaired by my Department, has been examining the funding needs of the sector, the resources currently available and the co-ordination of funding across Departments. One of the areas this group has examined is the need for an additional co-ordination forum between relevant Departments, specifically to assess refuge needs and to plan for their provision. It is expected that the issue raised by the Deputy will be addressed in such a forum.
388 Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he intends to amend the Domestic Violence Acts 1996 and 2002; and if so, when. [38024/05]
View answer389 Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his views on the recommendation put forward by Women’s Aid with regard to domestic violence protection, that parties with a child in common but not residing together, be eligible for protection; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38025/05]
View answer390 Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his views on the recommendation put forward by Women’s Aid with regard to domestic violence protection, that the residency requirement for co-habitees applying for a safety order be removed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38026/05]
View answer391 Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his views on the recommendation put forward by Women’s Aid with regard to domestic violence protection, that the residency requirement for co-habitees who have an equal or greater interest in the property be removed for barring order applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38027/05]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 388 to 391, inclusive, together.
The Domestic Violence Acts 1996 and 2002 provide for the protection of any spouse and any children or other dependent persons, and of persons in other domestic relationships, whose safety or welfare requires it because of the conduct of another person in the domestic relationship concerned. I have no proposals to extend the civil law policy of those Acts to non-domestic abusive relationships, which can at present be the subject of sanctions under the criminal law. However, operation of the law on the protection of persons in relationships continues to be kept under review in my Department.
