Rape crisis centre warns against cuts

FURTHER CUTS in funding to the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre would definitely compromise the service it provides to the victims of rape, its chief executive has said.

Ellen O’Malley Dunlop said the organisation had experienced reductions of €320,000 since 2008 and there were fears funding could be reduced again.

Nine full-time staff and 24 part-time staff are employed at the centre, which offers a national 24- hour helpline, hospital and court accompaniment services and counselling.

The centre took almost 12,000 calls last year to its 1800 778888 number, which included more than 3,300 first-time callers. Outreach talks were also delivered at 82 schools and services were available in Leeson Street, Coolock, Tallaght hospital, Tallaght Rehabilitation Project and Dóchas Women’s Prison.

The organisation costs €2 million a year to run and receives €1.1 million from the Health Service Executive. The shortfall is made up through fundraising, which has slipped by 30 per cent.

Ms O’Malley Dunlop said of the €1.1 million provided, €500,000 went back to the exchequer through PAYE, PRSI and USC for employees. Workers had taken a pay cut and freeze over the last few years, she said.

She said the most recent cut imposed on the centre was of 5.6 per cent for the last quarter of the year. It was not until staff noticed the reduction in funding that the centre received a letter explaining the cut, with instructions to “be creative” about saving money, she said. They had pared back overheads to a minimum since then and could not afford any further reductions.

The centre needed certainty about next year’s funding so that plans could be made.

“We are not stupid, we know the country is in dire straits, but we deliver real value for money,” she said.