Ms Mary McDermott:

I will ask Ms Marmion to speak about the issue of children. I draw members' attention to the document, No Going Back,referenced by Deputy Carroll MacNeill. In that, we set out the journey of a woman, although, of course, women are diverse and there is no one type of woman. Notwithstanding that, we also draw out the journey of children aside from their parents through domestic violence and what is required for that support. It is a unique journey that needs dedicated attention. Safe Ireland was very concerned to ensure that the issue of children was included in the new national strategy so there is a lot of work to be done there.

In respect of the legacy of Covid, Safe Ireland's position is that Covid did not cause domestic violence; it exposed it. It may have increased it where perpetrators were locked in a smaller domain but it certainly did not cause it. We were very strong on that because that is another distraction.

Ms Marmion will be very happy to hear me say that the whole housing approach is a model used in the UK that is effectively like a plug-in housing response around accommodation needs and domestic violence. I will pass over to Ms Marmion, who will speak about children.