A group campaigning for the delivery of a women’s refuge in Carlow is calling on our local Dáil Deputies to make it a reality.
The Women’s Refuge campaign has written to all five calling on them to publish the timelines needed for the provision of a local refuge.
In a statement, they said women and children have waited long enough and deliverable targets were needed.
A recently published Tusla report identified Carlow as a priority for such emergency accommodation and an interdepartmental group was established. (More here).
The delivery of the refuge was raised in the Dáil again in recent weeks with Justice Minister Helen McEntee giving this update: “There will be engagement from the interdepartmental group soon obviously they’re doing a body of work to try and identify how we can improve the overall process and there will be engagement then with counties and with those who are already working on the ground”.
Spokeswoman for the local group Ger O’Neill has told KCLR News “The latest figures show that once again reports of domestic violence have increased. There has been a crisis in this sector for a long time and although we welcome the Review of Accommodation for victims that was published last month, we need deliverable targets and a clear line of responsibility to ensure provision.”
Ms. O’Neill added “We have also called for additional measures like banning the use of character references in courts for perpetrators. This is an outdated practice. We also need the separation of Church & State to ensure there is consent-focused sex education in schools. Other measures like inter-sectional support for those with mental illness or substance abuse, and easier access to housing supports in different local authorities to help escape violent partners, also need to be introduced.”
Ms. O’Neill concluded “We have called on the government TDs for Carlow and Kilkenny to make more than statements and instead to make these things a reality.”
