Susan O'Keeffe (Labour)

In the absence of the chair of the public consultation committee, Senator O'Donovan, I take the opportunity to welcome a first for the Seanad, namely, the launch of the first report from the public consultation committee. One may remember this related to the rights of older people, and we had written submissions and hearings before concluding the report and making recommendations. The report will be launched today at 12.30 p.m. in the audiovisual room, and I urge Senators to attend that launch and read the report. Where they can, they should make public the recommendations and urge that the Government take them up.

On a separate note, I also raise the matter of domestic violence. We have been outraged in recent days about the Mahon report and there was much outrage, torment and distress in recent years because of child abuse. The number of children involved in domestic violence scenarios runs to hundreds and there are all sorts of figures and statistics from the domestic violence group known as Safe Ireland showing that on very many occasions around the country, women and children are turned away from shelters. There were 3,600 such occasions in 2010 when women and children could not get access to accommodation. That is an appallingly high figure, and in that group there are children without fault and who have no say or rights; they can do nothing when caught in such a position. The children rely on the HSE and the State to ensure protection is available for them but it is not sufficient.

I ask the Leader to write to the HSE, particularly with regard to Teach Tearmainn in Kildare, which was built at a cost of €900,000 and which is lying idle because the HSE cannot fund staff or operational costs. Already this year, 17 women and their children have had nowhere to go in Kildare, although the building is complete.