Abused Laois women face another Christmas with no shelter in county

Nearly four years since it became a national priority, there is still no Laois shelter for domestically abused women and children.

However a vital step along the slow path has been taken, revealed at the September meeting of Laois County Council.

Laois Domestic Abuse Service, which helps women living in abusive homes, has signed a 'memorandum of understanding' agreement with an unnamed approved housing body who will now design and plan the centre.

Portlaoise councillors are disappointed at the delays, with Cllr Catherine Fitzgerald saying that councillors "had no choice" but to approve the purchase of "the wrong site" in Portlaoise in 2023.

The undisclosed location of the new centre is a large building, not the preferred option of a greenfield site to build a unit. Laois County Council bought it for €1.75 million, and it has sat idle since 2023 awaiting repurposing into a secure centre.

Back in 2022, TUSLA confirmed that Laois needs an eight unit abuse shelter. It is one of nine Irish counties without one.

Cllr Fitzgerald  tabled a motion to the September council meeting requesting an update.

"I'm so frustrated. It's a very serious issue and there is such a delay. The Government say there's no problem with funding. We had no choice at the the time but to go with a site that all felt was going to be problematic. There's too many complications on it. My voice was overruled. They wanted extra land there and that was the delay. Now that's not needed. And we're still here. And the women of Laois have no place to go.

"We all know the figures. One of the most dangerous places for a lot of people is their own homes. Always around Christmas is the worst time. We're going to have women coming to us looking for help. I hope it goes faster this time. Children need to be in their own county," Cllr Fitzgerald said

The council CEO Michael Rainey said other stakeholders need to "step up" and lodge a Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS) application with them.

"The council fully supports the development of a refuge in this county. To be fair to the council and my predecessor, he was very proactive in terms of acquiring the site. But we do not now have control of the process.

"It requires a CAS application to come to us, we can't be applicant and approver. We receive it and will pass it with commentary to the Department of Social Protection for funding. But we can't determine the timeline. The minute that application comes in it will be processed. But we do need other stakeholders to step up and move this project forward," Michael Rainey said.

Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley had seconded the motion, and blames TUSLA for "walking off the stage".

"Michael has hit the nail on the head when he said we don't have control of the process. I remember when we were looking at three site options. TUSLA were supposed to be in charge and they completely exonerated themselves from any responsibility to try and identify a site. They were an absolute disgrace. 

"We asked about a green site on the HSE mental hospital grounds and they said it wasn't their responsibility, and of course it was. It was left to the council and we did it. There were many delays, but they didn't happen with the council. The Department of Justice had to step in.

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"I welcome the small progress that they are lined up with a housing body. Behind all of these delays there's real people's lives. There's women here having to leave the county to avail of the service, children taken out of school away from friends. We all know how badly we need the service here in Laois," she said.

She asked for representatives of Laois County Council be again reinstated on the LDAS board saying "we can't just be the cash cow".