A WOMEN’S SHELTER in Dublin is set to meet with the Government next week to discuss funding.

‘Respond’, the housing association that run the Cuan Alainn facility in south Dublin’s Tallaght, will meet with State agency Tusla next week.

The move has been arranged by Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, James O’Reilly. At current the shelter receives no Government funding.

Speaking to TheJournal.ie, Chief Operations Officer for Respond, Ned Brennan, said:

I am hopeful that an essential service like the one we provide will be funded by the state.

The facility – which caters for up to nine women and 20 children at any given time – could closure due to funding shortages and has specified that it now requires Government intervention to keep the facility open.

The body has spent nearly €1 million over the past three years.

Eamonn Maloney

Speaking today in the Dáil, Labour TD for Dublin South-West, Eamonn Maloney, said that he welcomed a meeting between the Government and Respond to try and keep the centre opened.

Since 2012 Cuan Álainn has provided a very valuable service in Tallaght for women and children who are victims of all types of domestic violence and abuse. In that time they have provided a safe haven for 55 mothers and 80 children who were forced to leave their own homes through no fault of their own.

“Indeed the violence and abuse experienced by women in all communities is no respecter of class or status,” said Maloney.

The Department of Children and Youth Affairs have a review of women’s services currently ongoing.

Read: One in seven sex abuse victims felt they were treated insensitively by gardaí

Also: ‘There’s two of them in it; Don’t annoy him; Let him sleep it off’: Gardaí on domestic violence