'No timelines' to complete 'priority' domestic violence refuge in Laois Minister reveals

Work is ongoing to deliver a promised refuge for Laois victims of domestic violence but there are 'no timelines' for its completion nor can the cost be confirmed, according to the Department of Justice.

The latest update on a promised premises for women and children and others forced out of their homes through domestic abuse in Laois was outlined in the Dáil by Laois Offaly Sinn Féin TD Brian Stanley on October 26.

The absence of safe havens in Laois and Offaly has been campaigned for many years but the murder of Aisling Murphy in Tullamore led to a pledge from Government to spend €363 m under five-year strategy. The strategy said Laois and Offaly are  priorities for new refuges.

But it appears that prioritisation does not mean the Laois refuge will open soon. 

"Planning is not yet at the stage to identify the specific amount of either capital or revenue funding required. Furthermore, planning is not sufficiently advanced to identify the specific timelines for completion," a Minister of State revealed to Dep Stanley. 

The Laois TD was also assured that funding would be in place to build necessary refuge accommodation "over the coming years".

The Sinn Féin raised the need to prioritise the delivery of domestic violence refuges. Speaking in the Dáil he stressed the importance of delivering for Laois and Offaly with Minister of State at the Department of Justice James Browne.

“The third national strategy on domestic violence issues was launched recently and I welcome that. In that strategy, 12 locations in the country which do not have domestic violence refuges, including, nine counties, are identified as priorities. Laois is one of the counties identified, as is Offaly. The midlands is without one of these centres as there is no refuge in either Laois or Offaly. Domestic abuse services in Laois and Offaly are both doing great work but are under pressure.

"The pandemic brought its own problems but there was a 38% increase in demand last year. We were coming out of the pandemic at that stage but unfortunately, domestic violence is an increasing problem. It is a cultural, educational and societal problem. In the Laois centre, there was a 38% increase year on year in the number of clients supported, with 505 people receiving actual support.

"People working in the service tell me that the cases are becoming more complex, and the annual reports of domestic violence services show that clearly. The services can only do so much without a safe refuge for people, sometimes men but mainly women and children, who are trying to escape domestic violence,’’ he said.

Dep Stanley, who has raised the problem a number of  times in Leinster House,  said the pressure on service has increased this year.

“There is little or no emergency accommodation available in the county. Laois County Council is really firefighting at the moment in terms of the provision of homeless accommodation. Unfortunately, the fact that people are fleeing Putin's illegal war in Ukraine is bringing its own pressures.

"Accommodation that might have been available in the social housing system or by way of HAP tenancies is becoming more difficult to source and there are waiting lists for emergency accommodation. Typically, people are being sent out of the county to access services, which means taking them away from local schools, doctors and other services and away from family supports," he said.

The TD said the Laois Domestic Abuse Service has a four-year strategic plan and a refuge is the number one priority for the staff and the board. He asked the Minister of State to confirm that capital funding has been announced for a refuge in Laois and that money will not be a barrier.

He said: "Can he assure me that if the jigsaw can be put together in terms of identifying a suitable site and so on, the money will be forthcoming?"

The TD said a strategy group is in place locally and is working on this. Tusla is working with that group, along with a number of other stakeholders but he said funding is the key.

"It is really important that money does not become the barrier to getting a refuge in place. People are at their most vulnerable when they are escaping domestic violence. Often women and children go back into abusive situations because they have no other option.

"They need a refuge space to feel safe, get their head together, access support services and to plan a way forward. That may involve obtaining barring orders and so on, but they need that space," he said.

In rely the Minister of State said it is the intention of the Minister for Justice Helen McEntee that every person who needs a refuge space will have access to one. He said that as a start, the strategy commits to doubling the number of refuge places.

"This will be the fastest ever expansion of refuge spaces. We will also work to deliver additional safe house and step-down accommodation. We have identified 12 locations nationwide where the delivery of additional family refuge spaces would have the most impact, if prioritised. These priority areas, as the Deputy is aware, include Portlaoise, where eight family places are suggested as a potential refuge size requirement, he said.

He said Minister McEntee has been informed by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, that a group involving local stakeholders, including the Laois Domestic Abuse Service, has been established to take forward plans to develop the proposed refuge and associated support services.

However, Minister Browne confirmed that the project is not advanced enough to release funding.

"Planning is not yet at the stage to identify the specific amount of either capital or revenue funding required. Furthermore, planning is not sufficiently advanced to identify the specific timelines for completion of the refuge, but Tusla and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage will be working with local stakeholders to support and ensure the process progresses as fast as possible," he said.

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Minister Browne elaborated on the process of delivering promised refuges.

"As the Deputy can appreciate, due to the variations in sites, resources available and specific local features, the costs for each of the planned refuge developments will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Decisions on funding will be supported into the future by work being progressed nationally to develop principles for refuge design. Tusla will continue to engage with stakeholders to support the refuge development process in County Laois," he said.

Minister Browne added that the Laois Domestic Abuse Service was allocated €281,440, with €79,000 in additional funding to strengthen its capacity for the provision of supports to women and to further develop services to children impacted by domestic violence and abuse.

He said additional resources such as project management support and other supports for capacity building will be available to the Laois Domestic Abuse Service and other organisations taking forward refuge developments in the 12 priority locations, as outlined in the third national strategy.

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Dep Stanley replied that delays are unacceptable and sought confirmation that money would not block the projects.

"It is really important that we do this, that we give women and children support at that vulnerable point in their lives. I am sure the Minister of State will agree with me on that. I ask him to confirm that the pounds, shillings and pence are available and that money will not be a barrier when a suitable site is located. We must move these projects on quickly. We do not want them to take forever and a day. I am sure the Minister of State will agree that these projects must be up and running quickly. We do not want any delays," he said.

Minister Browne said he want to "assure" the Laois Offaly TD that funding is in place to support the establishment and building of necessary refuge accommodation over the coming years.