Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)

I hope we will see that development of a refuge in County Roscommon because, as I said, the need is there. I hope the site that has been identified will be successful.

The Minister is correct that in most of these cases, it is the woman who flees the home. That should not be the case. We should be looking at turning that around, where the abuser is the one who has to lose his home, typically, as the case may be. That is the way we should look at it. For the refuges we need, particularly in the west in counties like Roscommon and the county part of Galway, there is a need to ensure there is an adequate number of refuges, particularly in parts like the west, where there are many very rural areas. I thank the Minister. I hope we will be successful in the refuge for County Roscommon.

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