West's dire lack of refuge facilities for domestic abuse victims exposed

Only 14 spaces provided across three counties

A WEST of Ireland TD has spoken of the difficulty facing women fleeing the family home and seeking alternative accommodation as a result of domestic violence situations.

Deputy Claire Kerrane revealed there are just 14 refuge spaces for women and children in all of Mayo, Galway and Roscommon – with the latter being one of nine counties nationally not to have any refuge facilities.

The Sinn Féin representative elaborated: “The three counties have a population of over 228,000 women.

“Based on the Istanbul Convention, Roscommon Safe Link has told us there should be 46 spaces for Mayo, Roscommon and Galway – but there are just 14.

“In many situations of domestic violence, there may be just one chance for a woman to reach out.

“That is why it is so vital those supports and services are there and they need to be there in an instant.

“If they are not there, then we have failed.

"SAFE Ireland has stated that 808 requests for refuge received between September and December 2020 could not be met because there was no space.

“I wonder where these 808 people are now. I cannot imagine what it must be like to be in a domestic violence situation where you have no family, no refuge and you are trying to secure private rented accommodation.

“I welcome the permanent extension of rent supplement for survivors of domestic abuse. It is important, welcome and needed but we need to do so much more.

"There are so many more women suffering, so many women living in fear and too many women whose lives were cut short and too many times the State has come up short.”