Seanad Report:Minister of State for Justice Frank Fahey said he had to accept that completely inadequate funding increases had been given through the Department of Health over the last number of years to deal with the problem of domestic violence.
This problem would be much more serious were it not for the work of so many dedicated people across the country, he added.
Mr Fahey said that according to the HSE the delays which had been experienced at Dublin's Rotunda Hospital had been caused by a shortage of doctors, especially at weekends. Every effort was being made by the HSE to ensure that adequate staff would be available to provide a service for rape victims on a 24-hour seven-day a week basis in the Rotunda.
Two new sexual assault treatment units were being established in Galway and the Midlands and the Department of Health had been asked to look at the possibility of funding the re-opening of the unit in Kerry.
Referring to a call by Ann Ormond (FF) that people suffering from domestic violence be enabled to immediately get to a place of safety, Minister Fahey said he knew that the women's refuges around the country were overcrowded and were in severe difficulty. He strongly believed that it was important to understand that the refuge should be only a last resort.
Every effort should be made to ensure that the woman could continue to live in the home, with the appropriate support services.