Plan to double refuge spaces will fall short

A PLAN to double the number of refuge spaces in the country over the next two years will still fall short of the number of domestic violence spaces required by the Istanbul Convention.

The convention is a legally binding strategy to tackle domestic and sexual violence, to which Ireland has signed up.

It comes as Justice Minister Helen McEntee opened a new domestic violence agency, called Cuan, yesterday.

Cuan will co-ordinate and report on the delivery of the Government’s zero-tolerance strategy on domestic, sexual and gender-based violence.

The agency will also deliver safe and accessible refuge accommodation, which will double to 280 units nationwide by the end of 2026.

However, the Istanbul Convention, which requires parties to develop laws, policies and support services to end violence against women and domestic violence, says there should be one family place for every 10,000 of population, by which calculation Ireland should have 476 family refuge places.

Ms McEntee said that while they have ‘ambitious’ plans, they also have to be realistic in what can be achieved by 2026.

She said: ‘The target that we have set is for this strategy and this strategy alone. We will of course be ambitious and want to go beyond that. But we have to be realistic in terms of what we can achieve between now and the end of 2026.

‘The objective is to double the number of refuge spaces that we have. We are making good progress.’ She added: ‘Part of the overall objective here is yes, to make sure that we have a space for any person who needs them, or any woman, any child, any man, but we also need to reduce the number of people who need access to this refuge and accommodation.’

‘I want to see more victims staying in their own home and not being the ones that have to leave. Much of the zero-tolerance strategy is focusing on that as well as making sure that we have a bed for anyone who needs it.

‘There’s more we need to do. But I want to be realistic in what we can achieve here and I think this is ambitious at the moment.’ Cuan will also lead campaigns and work to raise awareness of, and prevent, domestic and sexual violence. Dr Stephanie O’Keeffe, who will run the agency, said: ‘The challenge of leading Cuan and delivering on the zero-tolerance strategy is one I look forward to.’ She added: ‘My work now is to establish our team and the functions of the new agency, from research and policy co-ordination, to awareness-raising and driving delivery of safe and accessible support services including refuge accommodation.’