Government departments passing the buck on domestic abuse
The lack of coordination is frustrating support groups who are forced to apply for funding from a multitude of agencies, only to be left trapped in bureaucratic machinery.
Six Government departments, the Health Service Executive and every local authority share a fraction of responsibility that can easily be shipped or trumpeted depending on a negative article or a welcome photo opportunity.
Core funding for front line services has been capped since 2002 although the Government points to the €15 million being spent on all projects in 2006 as a sufficient allocation.
Last year, Minister of State Frank Fahy promised an additional €70,000 in support in response to a record number of calls to the Women’s Aid helpline.
However, it has not materialised and a further 10,500 calls from women in distress have gone unanswered.
Joanna Fortune manager of the Bray Women’s refuge says it is a full-time job to keep on top of funding applications.
She has to apply to all the agencies to stay in business and could not accommodate more than 270 women in 2005.
In May, Deputy Marian Harkin asked Minister for Health Mary Harney why there was no additional funding for organisations responding to domestic violence in the 2006 budget.
She was told the National Steering Committee on Violence Against Women fell under the remit of the Department of Justice to ensure a “multi-disciplinary, multi-agency and cohesive response to the problem”.
“The key indicator of the Government’s commitment to the issue can be seen in the funding for service provision,” the Minister said.
She went on to list the other departments with responsibility in the area instead of assuming it herself.
Last year, Deputy Olwyn Enright asked the Junior Minister of Environment Noel Ahern what he could do to provide a refuge for the women of Laois, in light of his responsibility for homeless shelters.
“The Department of Justice Equality and Law reform has overall responsibility for the issue relating to violence against women,” he said. He went on to say it was up to Laois County Council to progress plans for a refuge.
In 2005, Deputy Eamonn Gilmore asked the Minister for Justice Michael McDowell if there was adequate resources to tackle the problem.
He began his response: “The provision of services to women experiencing violence including domestic violence is the responsibility of the Department of Health and Children while the Department of the Environment is responsible for the provision of refuges and other emergency accommodation.”
Prior to publication the Department of Health and Children was asked a series of questions on its performance in the area. It replied to none of the questions and after each one it deflected responsibility to another department or the HSE.
For the past three years in each of the parliamentary questions asked of the Departments of Health, Justice, Environment, Social Welfare, Community and Education there has been an immediate reference to the responsibility of another agency.
