Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

A report commissioned by Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council has again exposed the chronic shortage in refuge places for victims of domestic violence. This is a national crisis. The Istanbul Convention obliges this State to have 498 refuge places; currently there are 140. Nine counties have no refuge place. Between September and December last year, 808 requests for a refuge went unmet. In June, the Taoiseach told the Dáil that he was committed to implementing Istanbul and creating more refuge facilities but that has not happened. It is scandalous that the recent budget contained no specific commitment to provide additional refuge places. The lack of an exit route sees women and children staying longer in abusive homes. I and others raise this crisis year after year and nothing changes. What urgent action will be taken to ensure every women who cries out for help is given the protection of refuge?

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