The Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, Jim O’Callaghan, has announced an allocation of €3.2 million to expand domestic, sexual, and gender-based violence (DSGBV) services across Ireland. This funding follows a targeted call by Cuan, the national agency for domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, aimed at supporting service expansion, innovation, and increased capacity to meet rising demand.
The funding will strengthen counselling services for adolescent victims of rape and sexual assault, improve access for marginalized groups, enhance national helpline capacities, provide training for staff and board members of DSGBV organisations, and expand access to perpetrator programmes. Minister O’Callaghan emphasized that the investment ensures service providers can deliver critical support to those in need and underlines the government’s commitment to building a zero-tolerance society for domestic and sexual violence.
After a rigorous assessment process, Cuan allocated the €3.2 million to 67 services. The funding includes over €600,000 for staff and board training and capacity building, €751,000 for adolescent counselling services, €1.1 million to target marginalized groups, €352,000 for perpetrator programmes, and €266,000 to enhance two national helplines.
This investment will enable over 1,100 staff across DSGBV services to receive additional training, provide services to an additional 5,484 victims and survivors, and allow 167 more individuals to participate in offender programmes. Dr Stephanie O’Keefe, CEO of Cuan, highlighted that the funding will support innovative responses to service needs, enhance governance and training, and expand the reach of services to those most at risk, reinforcing a strong, coordinated national response to domestic, sexual, and gender-based violence.
