Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein)
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I wish to raise the matter of refuges for victims of domestic violence. I know the Minister's Department does not have a capital budget to provide these refuge centres. However, when we talk to the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, he confirms that the responsibility to provide them lies with Tusla, which is under the Minister's Department. We have specific obligations under the Istanbul Convention to provide adequate accommodation.

There are wraparound services that go with that including psychological care and, indeed, childcare because many of the women fleeing have children. At present, we are not just meeting their needs. So many counties do not have a refuge. My county, Kildare, is split into two four-seat constituencies so it has a sizeable population but it has one centre in south Kildare. I know from dealing with many women that they do not necessarily want to go to the local refuge in their county. Sometimes they want to put a bit of distance between themselves and their abuser. We need every county, nearly every constituency, to have a refuge.

We have been promised 60 new family places. They are urgently needed. What progress has been made on these 60 family units and what is the plan for the counties which do not have refuges now? The intentions are good but we do not want them to be stymied if we do not know how they will be delivered and each Department is saying that it is not their job.