Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 21 May 2026
303. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration whether the Government has undertaken any assessment of the impact of housing costs and homelessness risk on victims seeking to leave abusive relationships. [38582/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra304. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration whether any interdepartmental strategy is being developed to address the intersection between domestic abuse, housing insecurity and financial abuse. [38591/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 303 and 304 together.
This Government is absolutely committed to combatting domestic, sexual and gender-based violence (DSGBV) in all its forms, recognising the significant intersection between domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, housing insecurity and financial abuse, including the barriers can create for victims seeking to leave abusive relationships.
Zero Tolerance: the Third National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence 2022–2026, was published in June 2022, setting out a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to combatting DSGBV. Government departments, state agencies, NGO partners, and DSGBV services work collaboratively to deliver on the Strategy, which is structured around the four pillars of the Istanbul Convention–Protection, Prevention, Prosecution and Policy Co-ordination. In 2024, Cuan was established as a dedicated statutory agency, with responsibilities including coordinating and monitoring actions under the Zero Tolerance Strategy.
The Strategy acknowledges that domestic or intimate partner violence can have a particularly significant role to play in victims’ experiences of housing insecurity. Violence from an intimate partner is consistently reported as a primary contributor to women’s homelessness and aims in response to enable victim-survivors to rapidly access and live in safe, accessible short and long-term accommodation as a priority.
Three implementation plans have been published to support and guide delivery of the Strategy. In March, I was pleased to publish the progress report for 2025, which highlights developments across key priority areas, including improving access to justice, advancing the National Emergency Domestic Violence Accommodation Plan, and progressing legislative reform. I have directed that work will shortly begin to develop the Fourth National Strategy on DSGBV, which will both maintain and build upon key achievements, actions, priorities, and learnings from the Zero Tolerance Strategy.
In addition, my Department engages with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and other relevant Departments through a number of interdepartmental structures and working groups, including in the context of the Child and Family Homelessness Action Plan, together with the Homelessness Prevention Framework, and will continue to work collaboratively with partners in the sector to strengthen supports and protections for victims and survivors.
