* Commissioned report highlights need in the local area
* Council co-ordinating moves to ensure Refuge & Integrated supports put in place
* Council to work with Approved Housing Body to provide Domestic Violence Refuge
Assessment of Need for Provision of a Domestic Violence Refuge in the DLR Area was launched by An Cathaoirleach, Cllr. Lettie Mc Carthy with Cllr. Mary Hanafin, Chair of the DLR Joint Policing Committee. DLRCC commissioned a Needs Assessment Study to establish the Need for the Provision of a Domestic Violence (DV) refuge within the County.
The findings were presented to the November Council Meeting by Therese Langan, Director of Community & Cultural Development. The Council agreed to work with an Approved Housing Body to progress the provision of a Domestic Violence Refuge.
The study was evidence based and informed from inter agency data on domestic violence in the County including data provided by Sonas and An Garda Siochána and the report will be circulated to the relevant stakeholders, including Tusla, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, and the Department of Justice and Equality. The report establishes comprehensively that domestic abuse responses in DLR are under-developed in most regards. This report demonstrates that DLR currently lacks refuge provision and cannot rely on refuge in surrounding areas to address this significant gap. The report has highlighted the significant shortage of refuge places in the Greater Dublin Area. Refuge provision in Dublin is currently only one-sixth of the required number of Refuge places, which is lower than the national average.
In dlr with a total population of 218,018, there is no domestic violence refuge. The refuge accommodation required to meet the Council of Europe standard for refuge provision in dlr demonstrates a need for 22 Family Units and with a projected population growth in the County, 24 units.
The establishment of DLR Refuge and Integrated Services Provision is required to ensure that women and children who have experienced domestic abuse in DLR can access services and exit domestic abuse safely.
The Council is launching the report to highlight the identified needs of women and children affected by domestic abuse in DLR. The Council wants to work with the relevant agencies to progress the development of a DLR Refuge and Integrated Services.
The Chair of the dlr Joint Policing Committee, Cllr. Mary Hanafin welcomed the Report stating:
“The findings in the Needs Assessment Study are very significant and give an added impetus to the Council to progress this issue.”
Cllr. Hanafin acknowledged the work of agencies and voluntary organisations supporting women and families experiencing domestic abuse and said this report provides the data to strengthen the case that a domestic violence refuge and integrated supports provision is much needed in the County.
Cllr. Hanafin referred to the DLR Joint Policing Committee’s priority of Enhancing Community Safety & Security in DLR.
“The JPC is regularly updated on the assessment and analysis of Domestic Violence incidents. This study identifies the Domestic Violence supports in the County are inadequate and provides the data to support the provision of a domestic abuse refuge and integrated supports in DLR.”
In launching ‘The Assessment of Need for the Provision of a Domestic Violence Refuge in the DLR Area’, An Cathaoirleach, Cllr. Lettie Mc Carthy stated:
“DLR has a population of 218,018 and has no domestic violence refuge. The Council in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown is taking the necessary steps to co-ordinate efforts to ensure the DV Refuge and Integrated Supports required for DLR are provided as soon as possible.”