Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I commend the Deputies on moving this motion this morning. Indeed, it is a mirror of motions we have discussed here many times. As the Minister will know, we discuss motions with similar wording year after year. This entails the same plea from the Opposition falling, it would appear, on the Government's deaf ears. There is very little evidence of a zero-tolerance approach. We can all hope that will come but evidence of progress is very hard to find. There are definitely plenty of announcements and superficial measures, there are kind words and there may be brochures, but funding will be key, as my colleague an Teachta Tully has alluded to. There is nothing that indicates you are a priority like funding.

I want to raise a case with the Minister because it has come to my attention in my office in Balbriggan, but we are also dealing with similar cases in my Swords office. The matter has to do with people on the housing list. Victims of domestic abuse are being revictimised by the housing crisis created by the Government. I want to talk to the Minister about Lana. This is not her real name, which I would not use out of respect for her. Lana has been on the Dublin City Council housing list for almost 13 years. She was brutally and viciously assaulted by her husband, who served time in prison. She moved to north County Dublin because of the housing crisis. It was the only place that she could find somewhere to live, although it was miles from her supports. Her attacker, her abuser, is now out of prison and he lives in a town close to where she would be housed. The Minister can imagine that the woman is almost terrified that she will be offered a house because the house she will be offered will be in the Dublin City Council area. She now lives in the Fingal County Council area. I asked a parliamentary question on this and the housing Department advised that the local authorities could apply discretion, but I ask that the Minister give the local authorities concerned some direction. I appreciate that they can apply discretion but when everything is so tight, special consideration needs to be given to people who are in a certain location because of domestic abuse.

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