Rape support group hopeful of €7m funding boost

THE Rape Crisis Network of Ireland is hopeful of securing additional funding for services dealing with sexual violence following a meeting with Finance Minister Brian Cowen in Dublin yesterday.

The organisation is seeking a €7 million boost in annual funding and a national funding framework on violence by 2006.

Speaking after the meeting, RCNI executive director Fiona Neary said the minister was “receptive” to their cause, despite failing to commit to an immediate increase in funding.

“I do think it was a positive meeting, even though they didn’t commit to extra funding for now,” Ms Neary commented.

“He certainly heard us, he was receptive,” she said.

The RCNI has stressed that investing in frontline services which offer early intervention for victims of sexual abuse has the long-term effect of saving in spending on health care and psychiatric services.

The group argues that the €14.5m annual spend, which funds psychiatric and mental health services for 700 places in the Finance Minister’s own constituency of Laois and Offaly, could be substantially reduced if more funding was given to refuges and rape crisis centres.

“The cost of funding psychiatric and homeless services, where we know many clients are survivors of sexual abuse, is very high,” Ms Neary said.

“Investing in early intervention services such as rape crisis centres and refuges could save the State a fortune in health spending,” she added.

Mr Cowen has agreed to meet with the RCNI prior to making this year’s budget estimates.

In the meantime, the RCNI has agreed to work more closely with the Department of Health and the Health Services Executive to improve the management and co-ordination of funding strategies.

“They’re certainly not saying no, so there are a lot of possibilities going forward,” Ms Neary said.

A spokesperson for the Department of Finance would not comment on the matter.