'Not acceptable,' lack of women's refuge in Carlow raised with Government Minister
Survey underway to identify where the needs are and where the services ought to be
The lack of a women's refuge in Carlow has been raised with a Government Minister and described as "not acceptable".
Sinn Féin TD, Denise Mitchell, raised the issue in the Dáil recently and asked about plans to increase capacity for the number of refuges providing services to victims of domestic violence and the steps being taken to improve geographic access to these services.
She said: "I was told Cork as a whole has only five domestic violence refuge spaces. That is incredible.
"There are other counties such as Carlow, Cavan, Laois, Leitrim, Monaghan, Offaly and Roscommon where there are no places whatsoever.
"In these counties with no places, we are seeing mothers and children having to move to other counties to get services. That is not acceptable and I hope we look at this, going forward."
In response, Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Katherine Zappone, said: "There is a very important piece of research, a national survey, that Tusla is conducting now to identify, by working with stakeholders and service providers throughout the country, where the needs are and where the services ought to be.
"The Deputy is correct that there are nine counties where we do not have domestic violence refuges. This is important research and it is not just a case of putting them anywhere in each of those counties."
The Minister added: "Instead, it is done on an evidence basis, with research being done as to where they should be located and what kind of services should be provided. There are obviously different models."
"Homelessness in Carlow 2018" found that Carlow women and children fleeing violent homes are accommodated in refuges in Kildare and Dublin, and that "some end up on the streets of Dublin".
The report was commissioned by the Carlow County Development Partnership and written by Dr Brendan O'Keeffe.
Homeless campaigner Peter McVerry says the lack of a women's refuge in Carlow is "scandalous".