Joanne Collins (Sinn Fein)

I want to raise an issue that seems to be a policy flaw. Many of us have advocated for victims of domestic abuse. We have gone to the audiovisual room and listened to their stories. At the moment, if the male or the female victim of domestic abuse is living in a council house and they have to leave for their own safety, the years they have had in that council house are wiped clean. They no longer have those years, and they also have to wait 12 weeks to get back on the housing list to receive HAP payments and supports, putting them at a disadvantage. It seems to be a small little flaw in the system that does not fall into the black or white. It is that grey area that does not seem to be taken into account. For their own safety they have to leave that house, and they seem to be punished for that reason of having to leave. They have to wait 12 weeks. Twelve weeks is a long time for somebody who suffers domestic abuse at the hands of another. It seems to be another hurdle they have to jump through. I would appreciate if the Leader could take this to the Minister with responsibility for this to see if there is something that can be done about this policy so that 12-week wait is not going to be the case going forward, and that we can have that, not minimised, but completely taken out.