New State agency to take responsibility for victims of domestic violence

Safe Ireland CEO Mary McDermott said: “A dedicated agency with responsibility for DSGBV is a major step towards achieving the structural reform necessary to address the continued and growing problem of violence against women. File photo: Leon Farrell / RollingNews.ie

Domestic violence organisations have welcomed news a statutory agency is to be set up to take responsibility for Domestic Sexual and Gender-Based Violence.

It comes as a report on levels of domestic violence accommodation to be formally published on Wednesday will recommend that up to 60 additional spaces be created as a matter of urgency, in a move that would mean every county having a number of DV shelter beds for the first time.