'Christmas worst time of year' Laois calls for a domestic abuse shelter

Women and children in Laois will face worsened domestic abuse this Christmas, yet the county still has no sign of a refuge centre.

Laois is one of nine Irish counties without a secure accommodation shelter for families trying to escape abuse in their homes.

There is now a site ready for it in Portlaoise, with the location not disclosed, but progress has stalled in the past couple of months on how to turn it into a centre.

An update on the plans was announced this week.

Cllr Catherine Fitzgerald tabled a motion to Laois County Council to seek the update at their November meeting.

She was unhappy with the update, given below.

"I'm disappointed it's taking so long. It's an essential service. It's very badly needed. There is an urgency with providing this accommodation and we should do all we can to get it up and running. Unfortunately the statistics show that Christmas is the worst time of year. We will have more Laois women coming in in January and we won't have any accommodation for them. I ask that you do it as quickly as possible," she said.

In its response, Laois County Council said that it continues to work with Laois Domestic Abuse Service, towards providing a new site for the service provision and associated accomodation.

"Laois County Council have a suitable site acquired however to advance this project we are currently in discussion with both LDAS and the Dept of Housing in relation to the funding and methodology for project management of the build and operation. We will brief the elected members once we have finality on this issue," the authority said.

Cllr Padraig Fleming had seconded the motion.

"Credit to the council for buying this site, we all got a visit. It's a matter now to move it forward soon so people who need it have a more complex service," he said.

Some 100 families had to leave Laois and their communities, schools and workplaces, to find a safe shelter this year, Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley said.

"I though we were near an announcement. I urge the council and all stakeholders to come to some sort of an agreement and move forward. It is needed all year but particularly at Christmas.

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"For some families it is a time of alcohol and very often women and children are on the receiving end. 100 families go out of the county to seek refuge. We badly need it," she said.

Laois Domestic Abuse Service has an office in Portlaoise providing support to women and children experiencing abuse.

See their website for help or to give donations here.