* New agency under consideration to deliver excellent services to victims. * Priority areas for refuge accommodation identified. * Government commits to meeting accommodation recommendations in Istanbul Convention. * Ministers deliver update on third national strategy on domestic, sexual and gender based violence.
The Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee, and Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Roderic O’Gorman, today welcomed the publication of the Tusla review of accommodation services for victims of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence.
The Ministers also outlined the priority areas for refuge provision, as well as long term structural reforms to improve supports for victims and tackle domestic, sexual and gender based violence.
The Tusla review highlights gaps in geographical coverage and inadequate provision of safe accommodation, including refuges, to meet the country’s needs. It recommends an approach to address these issues with immediate, medium and long-term actions required.
At the end of 2021, Tusla funded 155 DSGBV-related accommodation units, provided by 44 organisations. These consisted of 137 refuge units and 18 safe houses. In addition, Tusla supports 16 rape crisis/sexual violence organisations who provide critical and specialist services to victims.
The Ministers acknowledge the need to dramatically increase the provision of refuges.
While the review says that a minimum of between 50 and 60 new refuge places are needed as a priority, further analysis has identified 10 locations nationwide where the delivery of 82 family refuge spaces would have the most impact if prioritised.
These locations and refuge need have been chosen on the basis of required proximity to a refuge, as well as a need for refuge spaces per population in densely populated areas.
These represent areas where there is the most significant under-provision and represent a starting point to increasing refuge spaces comprehensively and in every county across the country.
They are:
Sligo(8 family places)
Cavan/Monaghan(8 family places)
Cork city(12 family places – 6 new, 6 replacement)
North Cork(5 family places)
West Cork(5 family places)
Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown(10 family places)
Westmeath(8 family places – four new, four replacements)
Portlaoise(8 family places)
Balbriggan(10 family places)
Longford(8 family places)
In addition to the locations identified by Tusla, there will now be engagement with local authorities, government departments and State agencies to source refuge provision in Offaly, Carlow, Roscommon, Leitrim and Cavan/Monaghan.
The timelines for delivery of these places, as well as further targets for nationwide delivery of refuge accommodation, will be outlined by Minister McEntee as part of the third national strategy on domestic, sexual and gender based violence and accompanying action plans, which will be published in April.
Reformed structures for delivering refuge spaces, to accelerate the process and ensure a truly nationwide availability of services, will also be included in the new strategy.
Minister McEntee also asked the many local organisations doing excellent work in this area to come forward to Tusla, working initially with its partners on a new interdepartmental group until new processes are established, if they need assistance in furthering projects to provide refuge places.
The Minister today updated those working in the sector on the third national strategy, which has been co-designed with those working on the frontline with victims. The Minister will also launch a wider public consultation tomorrow (Thursday).
The new structures include consideration of a new statutory agency on domestic, sexual and gender based violence.
This agency, which will require legislation, staffing and funding to succeed, will be tasked with:
Delivering excellent services to victims of DSGBV, which will include delivering on the number of safe and accessible accommodation spaces needed for victims of DSGBV, as well as ensuring that helpline and other supports are available to everyone who requires them;
Ensuring a robust set of national service standards and governance arrangements are in place to ensure adherence to the appropriate standards for such supports;
Answering to the Minister for Justice, following policy direction set by the Minister and the Department of Justice and, working with the Minister, co-ordinating the actions of the third national strategy across government
Reporting to a dedicated Cabinet sub committee
Leading on awareness raising campaigns designed to reduce the incidence of DSGBV in Irish society as well as ensuring that all victims know how to access the supports they require;
Leading on consistent and ongoing research to inform DSGBV policy development, working with others, such as the CSO, who have research and data projects underway.
Publication of the accommodation review follows the recent publication of an independent audit of responsibility for domestic, sexual and gender based violence across Government.
On foot of this audit it has been agreed that the Department of Justice will take over responsibility for service delivery, in addition to its policy responsibility for this important area. The new agency would form a major part of this approach.
Until the new agency is established, Tusla will report to the Minister for Justice for service provision for domestic, sexual and gender based violence.
Minister McEntee said: “It is clear that we have a lot to do to achieve our shared goal of zero tolerance of domestic, sexual and gender based violence. It is also clear that it will undoubtedly be a challenge to meet the needs of our vulnerable women and men who need our help. But it is a challenge I have no doubt that we will meet. To do so, we must put in place structures and policies which will protect and support victims for generations, and bring about the societal shift in attitudes that is so desperately needed. We must also take action in the near term, and I intend to prioritise a significant number of areas for accommodation need and, in the medium term, there will be further service expansion in other areas. The response to domestic, sexual and gender-based violence is a cross departmental and multi-agency issue. I’m leading the development across Government on our new national strategy, which will set an overall goal of zero tolerance for domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. It will also make provision for how we deliver refuge spaces, both in the immediate and longer term, to cater for the needs of victims. It is my goal that everyone who needs a refuge space will get one, and we will work with those working in the sector to achieve that goal. I would urge any local organisations around the country to come forward to Tusla, working initially with its partners on a new interdepartmental group until new processes are established, if they need assistance in furthering projects to provide refuge places.”
The Minister has established a High Level Interdepartmental Group to look at the issue of delivery and how it can be improved.
Minister O’Gorman said: “The Government is committed to delivering a strong response to domestic, sexual, and gender-based violence. It is clear that more needs to be done, both for those who are in immediate need of a safe place, but also in tackling the root causes of gender-based violence in Ireland. Through the Third National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual, and Gender-based Violence, we can deliver that transformative change. I would like to place on record my thanks to Tusla for producing this review, which will help guide the Government’s wider response to the provision of services, and for their ongoing work supporting victims of domestic violence.”
Coordination and delivery structures are being finalised but they will include support from the Cabinet Committee on Social Affairs and Equality, chaired by the Taoiseach, and a high level oversight board co-chaired by the Secretary General to Government and the Secretary General of the Department of Justice.
Minister McEntee added,
“Today we spoke with the NGO sector about the Tusla accommodation review and shared a draft of the third national strategy as part of our ongoing consultation. Tomorrow I will launch a public consultation on the strategy. Following these consultations, the strategy and action plan will be finalised, brought to Government and published as soon as possible.”
Two TD’s in Thurles town, yet no announcements by either Mr Jackie Cahill TD or Mr Michael Lowry TD, on Kickham Street upgrade.
Road structure in question is on Thurles MD’s three year roads programme for an upgrade, with work likely to be scheduled next year 2023, or maybe the year after, 2024.
This was the state of Kickham Street Thurles today, February 12th, 2022. See video hereunder. _______________________________
When there’s a funding announcement every TD and Local Councillor rushes to claim that they were part of it, despite having had no hand, act or part in any such acquisitions. TD’s and Local Councillors have absolutely no power in current decision making, and none of them want to take responsibility when unpopular decisions have to be made.
Instead, local elected public representatives choose silence; not wanting to be associated with negativity and obvious failure, in case it should impact on their vote, come next election. Let’s examine recent announcements all claimed by every idle local elected politician and Thurles Municipal District Councillors, regardless of their political affiliations.
€86,200 announced, on 22nd September 2021, for upgrade to Old Baker Street.(Nothing ever happened.)
€3 million announced on 18th September 2020 for a multi-functional tensile weatherproof venue, for Thurles Town Carpark, Cathedral Street Thurles, rooting up what was officially upgraded and opened to great acclaim less than 6 years ago (March 2016). (Nothing has ever happened.)
€75,000, which had been allocated in February 2019, to allow for the construction of a new raised roundabout on Abbey Road, Thurles, at the junction of the entrances to Lidl Supermarket and the Kennedy Park housing estate.(Work eventually got underway in September 2021.) See Link Here
Cost not known for second re-alignment upgrade to the junction at Slievenamon Road and Clongower Road in just a 2 years period, caused by engineering errors.
Cost not known for Parnell Carpark upgrade, announced on January 12th, 2022, due we were then told to get under way in the coming weeks.
Cost not known for Liberty Square (Ulster Bank) Car Park, announced on January 19th 2022, and promised to start on next weekend.
Kickham Street roadworks upgrade, now placed on Thurles Municipal District’s three year roads programme.
Several times each week, at least, Mr Jackie Cahill TD and Mr Michael Lowry TD, travel this busiest road into and out of Thurles, namely Kickham Street(as indeed do our elected councillors). It is fair to assume they are continuing locally to chase elusive millionaires, since they rarely can be viewed, sitting in boring old Dáil Éireann.
On the 16th January 2022, we wrote to Ms Sharon Scully, Thurles Administrator, regarding neglect and waste here in Thurles town. See Link.
We wish to point out that all communications with Ms Scully were sent/forwarded to and received by Mr Joe MacGrath, Chief Executive of Tipperary Co. Council, Telephone (Work): 0818 06 5000joe.macgrath@tipperarycoco.ie. As was expected, noreply was ever received from Mr Joe MacGrath.
We received a ‘slap on the wrist’ contained in Ms Scully’s reply of two days later, which read as follows: “Firstly let me say that the issue of road signage facing in the wrong direction will be addressed. District staff will be asked to rectify this issue over the coming weeks. However, resources can only be dedicated to this task when more urgent works such as housing repairs, burials and roadworks allow.Four weeks later and nothing has been achieved. Ms Scully went on to highlight the good work that has been carried out, by her office, such as works on Liberty Square and the River Suir Walkway, as well as funding that had been secured to redevelop Thurles Market Quarter. No mention of TD’s being involved in these acquisitions by Ms Scully, despite TD’s claims.
Then came the verbal ‘slap’, “When we highlight only the negatives, in a public forum, it misleads people as to all the town has to offer and paints the town of Thurles in a light that I’m sure neither you nor me want.“
We have often been “Slapped on the Wrist” before. Ms Scully, Local Newspapers, Radio and Thurles.Info continuously discuss Drugs, Crime within the Thurles area. Should we stop, in the interests of “not painting the town of Thurles in a poor light”? Yes, we at Thurles.Info are the only people who refuse to publish the “positive spin” from the MDC’s offices. From last year, we refuse to accept weekly press releases from local TD’s; contents of which can be clearly characterized as occurring only in fiction from those on vast salaries and wishing to remain on them courtesy of their electorate..
Well as everyone in this town will be aware, I most certainly do not want to denigrate Thurles. However, one word stands out in Ms Scully’s reply; note the single word “roadworks”.
“TII’s purpose is to provide sustainable transport infrastructure and services, delivering a better quality of life, supporting economic growth and respecting the environment.” – According to TII’s own Website.
Early last year 2021, we logged a serious issue with Tipperary County Council Service Desk [reference number T-151500-F3F10761 065000]. The problem raised questions about the ability and failings of Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), regarding work on Kickham Street, Thurles. Mr Thomas Duffy, (Senior Executive Engineer), contacted me by phone, following my complaint. I was led to believe that action to correct the roadworks would be undertaken, thus protecting the houses and homes on Kickham Street, Thurles.
On 8th March 2021, almost one year ago, local radio and local newspapers announced, (quoting from one source):- “The first area to be tackled is the N75 at Kickham Street which will continue until next Thursday. District Administrator Sharon Scully says this will result in a road closure. Traffic leaving the Square – so outbound traffic – will be diverted up Mitchell Street. We will keep a two-way traffic flow on Mitchell Street but that will mean there will be parking restrictions. So the diversion will be up Mitchell Street – up as far as the Mace shop – and then you’ll be brought back over onto Kickham Street. Inbound traffic then will be diverted at the nursing home at the Mill Road junction – along the Mill Road and back onto Slievenamon Road.”
Transport Infrastructure Irl., employees worked Monday & Tuesday, a half day on Wednesday and then left the area, but not after their road sweeper had removed/sucked-up all the tarmac/asphalt from the holes they had patched. A depression outside my own home was never included in their repairs. Mr Duffy was sent pictures of TII’s handywork via Tipp, Co. Co. customer service.
On January 19th 2022, almost one year later from my initial Customer Relationship Management raised issue; I again communicated with Ms Scully, stating:- “As your office is aware Kickham Street is now the busiest and the most dangerous road in Thurles, and all I requested from your Mr Thomas Duffy (Senior Executive Engineer) was to fill one depression outside my home to stop water being splashed, damaging the front wall of my home. (See Video). I asked that asphalt be used and not cold tarmac, to avoid gravel also being fired at my front window. Evidence was provided – Nothing was done. See link and date HERE and also HERE.
The reply, by return, from Ms Scully stated:- “I have followed up with the District Engineer in relation to the CRM you have quoted below. He has confirmed that the road in question is on Thurles MD’s three year roads programme for an upgrade, with work likely to be scheduled next year. The District Engineer confirmed that any drainage issues and chambers will be addressed during those works”.
Despite my badly stinging wrist; Ms Scully added:- “My email to you of the 18th January was in no means meant as a criticism of you. I apologise if you saw it as such.” This was followed by what I interpret as some sort of humour from Ms Scully;- “I think it is very important that any town has strong community engagement where issues that are of importance can be highlighted and discussed. However, when this is done in a public forum it can paint the town in a negative light, particularly when the positives are not also highlighted.”ViewHere.
With regard to “strong community engagement”; what was the individual costs of both re-alignment upgrades to the junction at Slievenamon Road and Clongower Road last year, including the cost of added new traffic lights?
According to Ms Scully, it took Mr Thomas Duffy (Senior Executive Engineer)7 days to examine the depression housing a reservoir of filthy, leaf filled water, outside my home; same transferred by speeding traffic every 5 seconds onto the window, door and wall of my home. He never got around to clearing the drains reported to his office, last July, 2021, still on view today.
On February 10th, 2022, just before planned litigation was due to be put into operation, Ms Scully informs us that:- “Further to your email below dated the 9th February, I can confirm that we are continuing to follow up with Irish Water to ensure that work is carried out to rectify reinstatement works, carried out recently (No Not Recently) outside your property on Kickham Street. As previously stated, Tomas Duffy, District Engineer inspected the location on Kickham Street, outside your property on the 8th February. Mr Duffy reported that the water ponding is directly due to reinstatement works associated with water main works carried out by Irish Water. The complaint was referred to Irish Water in order to rectify the matter. Mr Duffy then followed up the report directly with the Water Services in Tipperary County Council and impressed on them the urgency to have this work rectified.” Now, some 12 months later, Mr Duffy has decided to correct the situation by “passing the buck” to another internal Tipperary Council organisation.
To add to this current ludicrous and humiliating failure, that is Kickham Street, Thurles, today, one year on; last week contractors currently working on the “Widows Homes“; latter also under the direct control of Tipperary Co. Council housing department, have chosen to spread their construction waste, muck and gravel on east Kickham Street.
This main thoroughfare into Thurles, today, looks like an unkempt, waterlogged, farmers laneway, as our video above shows. Pedestrian traffic-safety-islands are filthy and damaged signage from same islands; for several months, now not replaced, yet clearly on display, dumped in the Thurles MDC’s Parnell Street carpark.
These issues raised today are factual, shameful and a disgrace, as Thurles attempts to attract tourism from home and abroad. Why do we continue to pay ‘Property Tax’, when home owners are obliged to purchase traffic cones, in order to protect the fronts of their property, from the failed actions of our Municipal District Council officials?
Thurles Municipal District have now been given a further 7 days with which to repair at least portion of the damage being caused by Kickham Street traffic, to property, before litigation is once again entered into.
The Department Of Transport and all local councillors and local TD’s have been notified in person.
Let’s be honest, come next Local and National elections, the people of Thurles have no one person worthy of their vote. Sad to say, Fianna Fáil, Labour and Fine Gael have no one person fit or capable of representing their particular political party in County Tipperary.
While the St. Patrick’s Day annual parade here in Thurles has been called off, due to a lack of interest by the controlling organisers; the Irish Government are planning at least 33 high level visits next month, on March 17th, in an attempt to bring Christianity to those heathens abroad.
Those Ministers travelling abroad will be carrying three leaved Shamrock, to explain the concept of the Holy Trinity, (The Father, Son and Holy Spirit), to the pagans and warmongers, they expect to run into; their travel expences paid in full at the Irish taxpayers expense.
As a taxpayer continuously over a period of some 60 years, to be totally honest, I don’t mind contributing to the vast sums of money spent by Irish TD’s, as they make plans to go flying, with their entourage of loyal courtiers, to all over the world, for St. Patrick’s Day, 2022.
What I do strongly object to, however, in some cases, is paying for their return tickets, if you get my meaning.
We learn from press reports, over the past week, that An Taoiseach, Mr Micheál Martin will visit London the weekend before St. Patrick’s Day, before visiting Washington on St. Patrick’s Day; as the annual excuse for ‘Patron Saint visits’ takes off fully, for the first time, since the Covid-19 pandemic began in 2020. Last year, 2021, US President, Mr Joe Biden and An Taoiseach, Mr Micheál Martin met virtually on St. Patrick’s Day. This St. Patrick’s day same can now touch elbows, as sanitised crystal bowls change hands and both men declare their undying love for liberty, democracy, free speech and each other.
An Tánaiste, Mr Leo Varadkar will be heading supposedly to South America, visiting Columbia and Chile. [Note to Customs, check all diplomatic bags and other luggage on arrival back in Dublin, just to be sure.] Green Party Leader, Mr Eamon Ryan will for a couple of days, be ignoring a considerable chunk of his carbon footprint, as he visits in New York. Minister for Finance, Mr Paschal Donohoe is set to travel to London and the Netherlands. Minister for Public Expenditure, Mr Michael McGrath will go to San Francisco, the cultural, commercial and financial centre in the U.S. state of California; before moving on to the bustling west coast seaport of Vancouver, in lower British Columbia, latter on the westmost coast of Canada. Minister for Children, Mr Roderic O’Gorman will travel to Philadelphia and New York. ‘Teacher’s Pet’, Minister for Education, Ms Norma Foley will be visiting “A place you all know well”, as the ballad states, namely Boston, populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. Minister for Higher Education, Mr Simon Harris will visit France. Minister for Children, Mr Roderic O’Gorman will travel to Philadelphia and New York. Minister for Justice, Mrs Helen McEntee will visit Savannah, in the state of Georgia; the county seat of Chatham County. Minister for Health, Mr Stephen Donnelly will travel to Austin, the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas. Chief whip, Mr Jack Chambers will head to Los Angeles. Attorney General, Mr Paul Gallagher is set to travel to Washington. Minister for Arts, Ms Catherine Martin will travel to Argentina. Minister of State, Mr Colm Brophy will visit Mexico. Minister of State, Ms Pippa Hackett will visit Greece. Minister of State, Mr Thomas Byrne will head for Italy. Minister of State, Mr Patrick O’Donovan will go to the “Windy City”, Chicago on Lake Michigan, the most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois.
Despite an open invitation, there were no Ministers willing to take on the greening of Wuhan, that sprawling capital of Central China’s Hubei province; for some unknown reason to this author, but sure all is not lost yet, for it is believed that there will also be a number of other Ministerial visits not yet decided.
No, I’m not jealous. Me, I’m just wondering will there be anyone left to mind the shop.
We learn yesterday, from the Irish Examiner newspaper (Reporter Ms Niamh Griffin, Health Correspondent) that a mother, latter residing in the mid-west region drove her sick child, over three hours, to visit an Emergency Department (ED) in order to avoid an overcrowded University Hospital Limerick (UHL), despite latter medical facility being just a 20-minute drive from her place of residence.
The family made the decision to bring her son to Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) in Crumlin, Dublin on St. Stephen’s Day, in order to avoid the mid-western hospital; latter serving North Tipperary and which remains consistently the most overcrowded hospital within the Irish Republic.
The parents informed the Irish Examiner that they had decided to go straight to Crumlin Hospital. They had discussed going to the Regional Hospital in Limerick and waiting for another 12 hours, with their son in pain, before deciding it would be quicker to drive to Dublin. Here, their son was treated within a two hours period of their arrival in Crumlin Hospital.
The Irish Examiner newspaper point out that following the decisions to close Emergency Departments in three of the Midwest Region’s smaller hospitals, UHL is now the only major 24-hour Emergency Department for a population of approximately 400,000 people.
Figures made available by the University Hospitals Group show that some 76,500 people were treated in the UHL Emergency Department last year, an increase from just over 71,000 in 2019.
In comparison, the south/south-west region has two Emergency Department in Cork and one each in Tralee, Waterford and Clonmel.
Ms Mary Fogarty from the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) has stated that consistently University Hospital Limerick remains the most overcrowded hospital in Ireland. The current situation in UHL’s Emergency Department she has described as unsafe, unsustainable, yet completely avoidable.
The Irish Nurses & Midwives Organisation (INMO) is once again calling on the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) to urgently investigate the overcrowding issues within the hospital and make their recommendations.
Question: What are elected Tipperary politicians, Mr J. Cahill, Mr M. Lowry and Mr A. Kelly; all representing North County Tipperary doing about it? Answer: “Not a lot”.
The allocation of almost €450,000 to TUS (Technological University of the Shannon – comprising Athlone Institute of Technology (AIT) and Limerick Institute of Technology (LIT)) as a member of RUN-EU* (European Regional University Network), one of seven European University Alliances, will help plot a course to implement a shared, integrated, and long-term joint strategy for the new technological university and its partner universities.
*RUN –EU is one of 41 successfully funded Alliances from the European Universities Initiative. Its education partners include Higher Education Institutes from regions other than capital cities: TUS (Ireland), Polytechnic of Leiria (Portugal), Polytechnic of Cávado and Ave (Portugal), Széchenyi István University (SZE) (Hungary), Häme University of Applied Sciences HAMK (Finland), NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences (Netherlands), and FH Vorarlberg University of Applied Sciences (Austria) TUS is the Deputy Co-ordinator of RUN-EU and also leads the RUN-EU Discovery Programme.
That was the message from TUS Vice President Research, Development & Innovation, Dr Liam Brown, who welcomed the announcement of the €442,000 funding by Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Mr Simon Harris on behalf of the HEA (Higher Education Authority).
A flagship initiative of the European Union, the ambition is to build a European Education Area and European Research Area with the assistance of European University alliances – including RUN-EU. These alliances will help create a European inter-university ‘campus’, where students, staff and researchers enjoy seamless mobility (physical, virtual or blended) to study, train, teach, do research, work or share services at cooperating partner institutions.
Dr Brown explained, “The RUN-EU long term vision places innovative teaching, learning, research and engagement at the centre of the alliance activities and plots a course to implement the shared, integrated, and long-term joint strategy of the European Universities, with students at the centre. Today’s funding will help us further along this journey. The RUN-EU alliance contributes to the European Higher Education Area goals of enhanced mobility opportunities and recognition of qualifications across the EU through the design and delivery of collaborative European degrees, educational opportunities and the promotion of a strong sense of European identity, culture, and citizenship. This will ultimately deliver for all stakeholders and addresses the skills of the future for our employers,” he added.
TUS Head of Research, Dr Patrick Murray, outlined the benefit of RUN-EU not only to TUS, but the region, country and Europe as a whole. “RUN-EU fosters the free movement of researchers, scientific knowledge and innovation bringing together a new generation of creative Europeans, whereby ‘learning, studying and doing research’ enables our staff and students to cooperate across borders, languages, and disciplines, contributing to a more competitive European industry,” he said.
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