Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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303. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality to provide an update on the proposal to establish a domestic violence refuge centre in County Monaghan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45826/24]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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One of the overarching goals of Zero Tolerance, the Third National Strategy on DSGBV, which I published in June 2022, is to ensure that everyone who needs a refuge space will get one and under the strategy we have committed to doubling the number of refuge units across the country.

This represents the fastest ever expansion of refuge accommodation in this country.

To accelerate the delivery of additional refuge accommodation year on year, I formally established Cuan - the Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence Agency – at the start of this year.

Cuan is working closely with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, and the Housing Agency to put in place the necessary structures and supports for organisations to take forward plans.

Last week, I welcomed the commencement of a site selection process for the building of a domestic violence refuge in the Cavan/Monaghan region, one of the regions identified as a ‘Phase 1’ priority for refuge development under the Zero Tolerance strategy to combat domestic, sexual and gender-based violence.

Cuan is now responsible for coordinating all Government actions set out in the Third National Strategy and has a dedicated team in place to support the development of domestic violence refuges.

As this question relates to work being carried out by Cuan I have referred it to the agency for direct response.