Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We are talking predominantly about women who have been physically, mentally and sexually abused - some of the most vulnerable members of the community - and the Minister comes back with talk of reconfiguration and rationalisation of services which is terminology for cuts and closures. The Minister mentioned there is no question of services being reduced, but how can that be true when he is taking away 100% of the funding that this organisation has ran on for the past number of years? This follows on train of cuts in funding from the HSE in the past number of years to domestic violence services and cuts to funding for the Commission for the Support for Victims of Crime's domestic court accompaniment service.

The Minister's track record is quite poor in this regard. He needs to personally intervene in this situation to ensure that this service is maintained.

Shame on the Minister if under a Fine Gael and Labour Party Government the funding of a vulnerable service is swiped during a period of national recovery and an improvement in our economic circumstances.

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