Ms Alison Graham:

In response to Senator Ruane, we all know refuges are not the answer. As Ms McDermott put it very well earlier, it is the last port of call for women and children to have to leave their home. Outreach services have been developing throughout the country. We are trying to take a different focus to try to support women to stay safe in the home, where possible, until they can source alternative accommodation or a barring order can be obtained or whatever.

Unfortunately, things like lack of training for the Judiciary are big issues still where we have often heard women coming to us asking what is the point in getting a safety or barring order as it will not be respected or responded to and the person will be dead before someone from An Garda responds to it. There is a very significant piece of work to be done across the Department of Justice in terms of the Judiciary and the courts, how perpetrators are held accountable and how all of that works. The way things happen is that victims of domestic violence feel that the refuge is the only option, the perpetrator is left living in a three- or four-bedroomed house and the lady is left homeless with her children. I hope I have answered that question in some way.