Ms Margaret Martin:

I would like to be able to answer the Deputy's questions. The experience that we have had is that, while in the past we might have been able to make some progress in supporting women with those issues, it has been very difficult with the housing crisis. Under the national steering committee on violence against women, there were regional committee meetings in each county. Local authorities came together to look at the issue of domestic sexual and gender-based violence at those. Many of them were able to develop contacts and have reciprocal arrangements that helped. It also meant that the issue of domestic violence was on their agenda much more so. Those committees have since ceased. They have not been in situ for a number of years.