Cutbacks force refuge to turn women away

A “SAVAGE 30% cut” in funding to Meath Women’s Refuge and Support Services has resulted in 17 women and 21 children being turned away, according to the manager of the services Deirdre Murphy.

While the staff at the Navan-based Women’s Refuge were able to find accommodation for the women and children in other refuges outside the county, the cutbacks have left the service short €10,000 a month.

Acknowledging there are “huge national budgetary issues”, Ms Murphy said the level of cuts received by the Navan service is disproportionate as “similar services across the country received on average 3% to 5% cut to budget for 2009,” she claimed.

The refuge had proposed a 10% reduction in this year’s budget, but she says: “This has been not been accepted by the HSE, who have proposed to reduce our budget by 18% in 2009 increasing to a 30% reduction in 2010. Furthermore, we have been informed by the HSE that the revised funding will not be released until the services agree to accept an 18% budget reduction.”

Ms Murphy said it is not viable to run the service on the budget the HSE is proposing and she says what is proposed for Meath “is unjust to our clients, the most vulnerable women and children in Meath, they are paying for the recession, which they did not create”.

As a direct result of the cutbacks the refuge could not take in 17 women and 21 children who needed to leave violent homes between May 18 and July 12.

The Mayor of Navan Joe Reilly said: “The proposed cutbacks are totally unacceptable and place more mothers and children in the frontline of domestic violence.”

The HSE denied its reduction in funding would have the impact claimed. In a statement it said: “The HSE is not the only source of funding available to Meath Women’s Refuge and Support Services.

“Based on the 2008 audited accounts for Meath Women’s Refuge and Support Services, the 2009 HSE allocation amounts to an overall reduction of 10 point percent in total income for Meath Women’s Refuge and Support Services.

“The revised level of funding must be considered in the context of the substantial funds held by Meath Women’s Refuge and Support Services as per 2008 audited accounts.”

In relation to the refuge having to turn away women and children. the HSE said: “In this regard a senior HSE official has been requested to liaise directly with Meath Women’s Refuge and Support Services to establish the relevant facts.”