Ms Kelly Anne Byrne:

On the point about domestic violence, in my case we lost our home because my ex-partner threatened the landlord. That is how we became homeless in the first place. In other cases, the woman and the child or the man and the children have to flee because it is not safe for them to stay there or to go back there because that is where the perpetrator knows they are. That is why they have to go into some form of hiding or some other safe place until they gain stability and the right supports around them. There would have to be some new form of supports built around them so that they can be in their own home.

That would probably require the Garda to get involved. As of now, I do not see how that is possible. For that reason, parents and their children have to go somewhere safe and hidden as otherwise the perpetrator will know where they are. I wanted to highlight that to the committee.