Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome that. It is important that we have an audit of the services to ensure they are being used for their purpose. I invite the Minister to visit Amber in Kilkenny. It would definitely appreciate that. Because it covers the two counties there are huge difficulties for women leaving a domestic violence situation in County Carlow because, realistically, if they want to leave the situation they must uproot with their children and move 30 minutes away. Many women will not do this. It is not realistic to move children going to school to a different county. I invite the Minister to come down and see the service and see the work it is doing on domestic violence. It is important a nationwide audit is carried out. One refuge for two counties is not adequate and I am sure it is happening in other parts of the country. It is important that we carry out an audit so domestic violence services can deal solely with domestic violence and not have to take up the burden of emergency accommodation for housing.

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