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

I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle. I raise this important issue with the Minister, Deputy McEntee, this morning regarding the nine counties that do not have domestic violence refuges.

This is a very serious matter. We know there is a huge problem out there. A commitment was given some years back that the nine counties would have services. The Minister has stated publicly that she is making it a priority. We all want to make it a priority and, certainly, the party I represent, Sinn Féin, believes it needs to be given a sense of priority. Laois and Offaly are two of the counties without a refuge or accommodation for domestic violence victims. Victims and their children are forced to leave not just their counties but, in some cases, the midlands, which has obvious consequences, such as taking children away from schools and taking families away from doctors, services, family and the support of friends.

There is an epidemic of domestic violence, unfortunately. We have seen the figures that have come out from Women's Aid and other sources, with Women's Aid suggesting there were over 40,000 disclosures in 2023. The Minister will agree it is shocking that we are in this situation in the year 2024. There is major abuse of women and children, and of men in a lower number of cases, although it is no less serious. I understand this is the highest reported number in 50 years. It is astronomical. Some 52% of women and 28% of men are reported to experience sexual violence. These are shocking figures.

It is important for victims to have a safe refuge. When they flee the abusive situation or violence, a safe space is needed for them to work out a way forward. We know it is a crisis situation not just for the victim but also for the children, and it is important that they have a safe space where they can think about what they need to do. It is important that they can access support and help without being under pressure, and that they can connect to services, such as counselling, justice or court services, or the various other wraparound services that they need when they are in that crisis situation.

In County Laois, in excess of 100 families have to move out of the county temporarily every year because of serious domestic violence. It is important that we try to get centres going in the counties that do not have them. The problem is that when people are trying to source accommodation, they go through a process of trying to get private rented accommodation and they have to contact the local authorities to get that up and running, so they need time for that. The Minister, as a woman, will understand that, unfortunately, many people are forced to go back into the abusive situation, which is the worst thing of all. I have come across cases of constituents who leave an abusive situation and go into temporary accommodation, but they are not able to stay with friends and cannot get the safe space they need to get connected and plugged into the various services. They are not able to get alternative accommodation and they do not have a refuge to go to, so they go back into the situation of domestic violence. That is the worst of all possible worlds for them and the children.

I emphasise that this affects men and women, and I have seen both men and women constituents who are victims of it. However, there are roughly twice as many women as men who suffer it, according to the reports. It needs to be stamped out. We need to provide centres for them. I hope the Minister has information with regard to the nine counties. The Minister said it is a priority but we need to see it moved on at pace.

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