90. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he will seek greater supports for counties where there are difficulties in acquiring domestic violence refuges; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67257/25]

Sentiment score: 0.10

I raised with the Minister previously the situation in County Roscommon where they are having major difficulties in sourcing a building that meets the requirements to become a refuge. Will the Minister look at areas such as County Roscommon that, despite best efforts, are struggling to find such a building?

Sentiment score: -0.51

I acknowledge Cuan, the agency, and the work it is doing and the efforts that are being made to increase capacity when it comes to refuge spaces and safe houses for those who are fleeing domestic violence or violence typically in their own home. A number of sites had been identified by Roscommon Safe Link but, because of the criteria being so rigid, none of those sites was found to meet the criteria in place. We all hope that the site identified now will be the site. I would ask that in certain areas, such as County Roscommon which is rural, where the need is established and where genuine efforts have been made to find a site, that the criteria could be looked at with a little flexibility in engagement with both the safe link and the local authority because it has been a challenge in County Roscommon.

Sentiment score: 0.15

I hope we will see that development of a refuge in County Roscommon because, as I said, the need is there. I hope the site that has been identified will be successful. The Minister is correct that in most of these cases, it is the woman who flees the home. That should not be the case. We should be looking at turning that around, where the abuser is the one who has to lose his home, typically, as the case may be. That is the way we should look at it. For the refuges we need, particularly in the west in counties like Roscommon and the county part of Galway, there is a need to ensure there is an adequate number of refuges, particularly in parts like the west, where there are many very rural areas. I thank the Minister. I hope we will be successful in the refuge for County Roscommon.

Sentiment score: 0.25