Jerry Buttimer (Cork South-Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I again thank Senator Comyn for raising the matter. She is right. She has initiated the conversation here. She is also right about post-refuge care and a move towards independent living. She eloquently outlined it. I agree that it a multi-sectoral, multi-Department and multi-agency approach is required. I know the work that is being done in my city of Cork. It is a whole-of-community response - the Government, the local HSE and other agencies are involved, including the Department of justice. Senator Comyn is correct that the whole focus needs to be put on it. As the Minister stated in his reply, which I am delivering on his behalf, while the mechanism is not being actively considered, it is important that the Government is fully committed to ensuring that survivors of domestic violence have access to safe, secure and appropriate accommodation at every stage of their recovery and transition. I assure the Senator that the Department and the Government look forward to working with her to keep the person, the woman and the family at the very heart and core of what we are talking about this morning. I thank her again for raising this matter.