Dr. Salome Mbugua:

To support what Mr. Reilly has said, interagency co-ordination is very much needed. I mentioned the experiences of the police. In AkiDwA, we do not have a legal person who can advise people on legal issues, therefore we have to refer them. We work quite a lot with other groups and organisations which are working on the same issues in respect of migration in order to be able to help women in a meaningful way. Referral is key for us.

I have observed that Departments are doing quite a lot, but the work is not co-ordinated. I mentioned a good example in Citywest, where there are community mobilisers, counsellors and mediators all in one place so that if people come in with a housing issue they go to the community mobiliser and if they have mental health or psychosocial issues they go to a counsellor. That was developed by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.

These services are lacking outside Dublin. They are not there at all, so it is very difficult for women to manoeuvre or for people who are seeking those services-----