Clonmel women's refuge plans to secure housing to accommodate domestic abuse victims

The Cuan Saor Women’s Refuge in Clonmel continues to be  full to capacity and like last year has been unable to admit a large number of domestic abuse victims  referred to it  over the past 12 months. 

Geraldine Mullane, Cuan Saor’s Project Leader, said they haven’t figures collated yet for how many referrals they were unable to accommodate at the refuge in 2022 but she expects they will be similar to the 2021 figures when the refuge was unable to take in   200 women and 149 children referred to the centre.   She said the refuge was constantly full because of the housing crisis.

 The lack of available housing meant it took longer for women and their children who secure emergency accommodation in the refuge to move onto other accommodation. 

Space only arises in the Parnell Street based refuge if a woman or a family group manage to secure housing elsewhere. 

When the refuge is full, Cuan Saor’s staff work to find emergency accommodation for women and children in other  refuges for domestic abuse victims around the country.  Geraldine said they try as much as possible to find local women emergency accommodation in refuges in neighbouring counties in the South East.

 If Cuan Saor staff are unable to source accommodation for  domestic abuse victims in other refuges they approach Tipperary County Council and try and secure B&B or hotel accommodation.  

“As soon as a space becomes free at Cuan Saor, we bring her back to her community. It’s a much better option and the children can remain in school,” she explained. 

Cuan Saor is currently examining improving the refuge’s capacity by securing houses in the community where domestic violence survivors can live until they secure more permanent accommodation. 

 “We hope  we will be able to progress to have houses in the community. 

“It’s our wish to go this way to free up the refuge for the emergencies when they come here.

“At the moment it’s only at the stage where we have developed a document and spoken to a community and voluntary organisation we could work with to move that process on.” 

She said a  proposal to hire a staff member to develop this project was with Tusla, the child and family agency at the moment and they are “generally hopeful”  it will happen. 

Geraldine added that Cuan Saor works very closely with Tipperary County Council to source accommodation for domestic abuse victims.   

“We have very successful cases where women have got local authority and private rental housing.”