Laois, as well as neighbouring Offaly, remains among nine counties in Ireland still without a designated centre for victims of domestic violence.
Figures provided by Women’s Aid, a national organisation working to prevent and address the impact of domestic violence, show there were over 40,000 reported incidents in 2023. This is the highest number of disclosures in the last half century.
Women’s Aid also say that 52% of women and 28% of men are reported to experience sexual violence.
Local Sinn Féin TD Brian Stanley addressed the matter in the Dáil with Minister for Justice Helen McEntee.
“These are shocking figures,” Deputy Stanley said. “There is an epidemic of domestic violence.
“A commitment was given some years back that the nine counties would have services. The Minister has stated publicly that she is making it a priority.
“Victims and their children are forced to leave not just their counties but, in some cases, the midlands, which has obvious consequences, such as taking children away from schools and taking families away from doctors, services, family and the support of friends.
“It is important for victims to have a safe refuge. When they flee the abusive situation or violence, a safe space is needed for them to work out a way forward.
“We know it is a crisis situation not just for the victim but also for the children.
“It is important that they can access support and help without being under pressure, and that they can connect to services, such as counselling, justice or court services, or the various other wraparound services that they need when they are in that crisis situation.
“The problem is that when people are trying to source accommodation, they go through a process of trying to get private rented accommodation, so they need time for that.
“I have come across cases of constituents who leave an abusive situation and go into temporary accommodation. They are not able to get alternative accommodation and they do not have a refuge to go to, so they go back into the situation of domestic violence. That is the worst of all possible worlds for them and the children.
“I emphasise that this affects men and women, and I have seen both men and women constituents who are victims of it. We need to provide centres for them.”
In response, Minister McEntee referenced the Governments “zero-tolerance” National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence.
The strategy established the domestic, sexual and gender-based violence agency, Cuan.
“One of the key actions in the national strategy is to double the number of refuge spaces by the end of 2026,” Minister McEntee said.
“Cuan has been working closely with the Department of Justice. Planning and engagement are under way for the delivery of 150 additional family refuge units within the lifetime of the strategy.
“This includes 18 projects that are already under way, including projects in Laois, Offaly and the other counties mentioned.
“If a county is developing a refuge, it is not just the buildings or the bricks and mortar, but all of the services around that. I know we need to do more and go beyond that, and that is absolutely the objective here.”
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