Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I want to raise the issue of the need for a domestic violence centre in County Laois. I raised this issue on 19 January on the floor of the Dáil and raised it again on 30 March. I have raised it at the Committee of Public Accounts a number of times and have also raised it in a series of parliamentary questions. I am raising it again this morning because it is really important that we get a domestic violence refuge in the county.

The third national strategy on domestic violence issues was launched recently and I welcome that. In that strategy, 12 locations in the country which do not have domestic violence refuges, including, nine counties, are identified as priorities. Laois is one of the counties identified, as is Offaly. The midlands is without one of these centres as there is no refuge in either Laois or Offaly. Domestic abuse services in Laois and Offaly are both doing great work but are under pressure. The pandemic brought its own problems but there was a 38% increase in demand last year. We were coming out of the pandemic at that stage but unfortunately, domestic violence is an increasing problem. It is a cultural, educational and societal problem. In the Laois centre, there was a 38% increase year on year in the number of clients supported, with 505 people receiving actual support. People working in the service tell me that the cases are becoming more complex and the annual reports of domestic violence services show that clearly. The services can only do so much without a safe refuge for people, sometimes men but mainly women and children, who are trying to escape domestic violence.

There is little or no emergency accommodation available in the county. Laois County Council is really firefighting at the moment in terms of the provision of homeless accommodation. Unfortunately, the fact that people are fleeing Putin's illegal war in Ukraine is bringing its own pressures. Accommodation that might have been available in the social housing system or by way of HAP tenancies is becoming more difficult to source and there are waiting lists for emergency accommodation. Typically, people are being sent out of the county to access services, which means taking them away from local schools, doctors and other services and away from family supports.

The Laois Domestic Abuse Service has a four-year strategic plan and it was confirmed to me again yesterday that a refuge is the number one priority for the staff and the board. I ask the Minister of State to confirm that capital funding has been announced for a refuge in Laois and that money will not be a barrier. Can he assure me that if the jigsaw can be put together in terms of identifying a suitable site and so on, the money will be forthcoming? A strategy group is in place locally and is working on this. Tusla is working with that group, along with a number of other stakeholders. It is really important that money does not become the barrier to getting a refuge in place. People are at their most vulnerable when they are escaping domestic violence. Often women and children go back into abusive situations because they have no other option. They need a refuge space to feel safe, get their head together, access support services and to plan a way forward. That may involve obtaining barring orders and so on but they need that space.

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