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Ministers McEntee and O’Brien welcome start of site selection process for Domestic Violence Refuge in the Cavan/Monaghan Region

Minister for Justice Helen McEntee and Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien have today (Friday) welcomed the commencement of a site selection process for the building of a domestic violence refuge in the Cavan/Monaghan region, one of the regions identified as a ‘Phase 1’ priority for refuge development under the Zero Tolerance strategy to combat domestic, sexual and gender-based violence.

In addition to identifying suitable locations for refuge development, the process will focus on identifying potential locations for safe home development.

Speaking today, Minister McEntee said:

"Cavan and Monaghan was identified as a priority location and Cuan, the Domestic, Sexual and Gender Based Violence Agency, which I established earlier this year, was tasked with taking forward work to develop a new refuge facility in that region.

"I welcome that the site selection process has now commenced. This is a key step in the delivery of a new domestic violence refuge in the Cavan / Monaghan region. My Plan is to ensure that everyone who needs a refuge will have access to one."

Speaking today, Minister O’Brian said:

"The establishment of a multi-agency working group in Cavan Monaghan is a welcome step towards providing a much-needed Domestic Violence Refuge with ancillary facilities in the region. At present victims and their families in Cavan and Monaghan have to travel unacceptable distances from family, friends, and community supports in order to access refuge spaces. That’s not a situation I or this government want to see continued.

"My department will provide the capital funding for construction once a site has been identified and the refuge has been designed. There are a number of steps that need to happen prior to this point, and this working group will assist with these necessary processes, expedite them where possible and ensure project momentum is maintained. I want to be very clear in saying both I and my department are absolutely committed to providing this refuge.

"I’d like to recognise the strong support of both Cavan and Monaghan County Councils, as well as our colleagues in Cuan, The Domestic, Sexual, and Gender Based Violence Agency, and The Housing Agency. We have observed a noticeable improvement in lead in time for domestic violence refuge projects where this multiagency collaboration is occurring and hope to see the Cavan Monaghan refuge in development very soon."

Notes

Site selection process

This is a multi-agency and inter-county local government partnership involving senior officials in Cavan and Monaghan County Councils. They will be working alongside the approved local specialist Domestic Violence service provider Safe Ireland, as well as with Cuan, the DSGBV Agency, the Department of Housing and the Housing Agency.

The work will be coordinated through a multi-agency Working Group on DVR Facility Site Suitability and Selection, whose membership will be drawn from senior representatives from Cuan, Safe Ireland, the Department of Housing, the Housing Agency, Cavan County Council and Monaghan County Council.

Cuan, the Housing Agency and Safe Ireland will cooperate on assessing the feasibility of potential sites, once identified. Once a suitable site is identified, appropriate steps can be taken to commence capital funding application processes, planning, design and contractor procurement, before work on the chosen site begins.

Zero Tolerance Strategy

Zero Tolerance - The Third National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (DSGBV) (2022-2026) was published in June 2022. The Zero Tolerance Strategy approaches change as a whole of government and whole of society task. Government departments, State agencies, and DSGBV services work collaboratively to deliver on the Strategy.

The strategy is built on 4 pillars – Protection, Prevention, Prosecution and Policy Co-ordination.

A core output of the strategy was the establishment of a dedicated new agency to drive the implementation of the Zero Tolerance strategy, and this was the genesis of Cuan, the Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Agency, which was established in February 2024 under the aegis of the Department of Justice.

A key action of the Third National Strategy is the doubling of refuge space numbers available during the lifetime of the Strategy. Cuan has a dedicated team in place to support the development of domestic violence refuges, and is actively working with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to assist the development refuge facilities in the priority areas identified in the Third National Strategy.

Cuan administers the funding provided to services for their operation, while capital funding for building is coordinated through the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

Priority locations under Zero Tolerance

  • Dublin - Balbriggan
  • Dublin - Dun Laoghaire Rathdown
  • Carlow
  • Cavan/Monaghan
  • Cork City
  • North Cork
  • West Cork
  • Laois
  • Longford
  • Louth
  • Meath
  • Offaly
  • Sligo
  • Westmeath
  • Wexford
  • Clare
  • Kerry
  • Roscommon
  • Waterford
  • Louth

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