Brendan Ryan (Dublin Fingal, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank Ms Fiona Ryan and Dr. Stephanie Holt for coming in to help us with our work. This is an important element of it. They have described how the problem of homelessness changes the crisis of domestic violence into a disaster when the two are combined. Previously, they indicated that before the homeless crisis there was safe accommodation and accompanying services. If we could magically address the homelessness issues generally, would that adequately deal with it? Would it get us back to a point where there is a reasonable level of support?

The deputation has said that while general recommendations around ending homelessness would benefit victims of violence, victims are at risk from perpetrators.

Do the witnesses want us to do more beyond that? One way of doing this is to facilitate transfer of victims to a greater extent in local authorities. That is very important. We need to get people away but there is a big barrier there as the witnesses know and we as practitioners know. That is a big problem for people in this situation.