An organisation running women’s refuges says they have to turn away 70 per cent of requests for help

The government is planning to set up a new agency to oversee the response to sexual, domestic and gender-based violence.

It’ll offer support, co-ordinate the delivery of services to victims and ensure government departments are working together.

Allison Graham is CEO of Saoirse – which runs a number of refuges – and says there’s a lack of spaces across the country:

“Demand for refuge even pre-COVID was far exceeding supply. But I suppose the pandemic really increased that. We’ve been open 15 years and on average we turn away about 70% of the request for refuge because we just don’t have space. That experience is very similar across the country.”