Seanad debates

Wednesday, 11 November 2020

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business

 

10:30 am

Photo of Robbie GallagherRobbie Gallagher (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Following on from my colleague, Senator O'Loughlin, I would like to talk about the same subject. Safe Ireland, the national domestic violence agency, works with 39 front-line services throughout the length and breadth of the country. In my area, Monaghan and Cavan, I know Tearmann does fantastic work and I want to compliment it on the fantastic service it provides.

The report being discussed today makes for a very grim reading. The report, which was carried out from March of this year, covers a six-month period. I found the content of the report alarming and heartbreaking. During that six-month period, 3,450 women and 589 children contacted a domestic support hotline for the very first time. Some 32,941 telephone calls were answered, an average of 184 calls per day. It is important that we pause and remember that behind the 184 calls every day is a broken family in turmoil and living in fear of their circumstances. When I think of that, I think of the families who have yet to pick up the phone and make the call. I encourage them to do so and reach out for help because help is there.

Sadly and shockingly, 191 women and 280 children are living in domestic abuse accommodation every month. Even more shockingly, 1,351 requests for refuge could not be provided due to a lack of space. Service providers have been promised additional funding across a number of Departments, but they want the funding made available to them to be ring-fenced for their use. I ask that information be provided to them as soon as possible.

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