* 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.”
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.
Firstly, I should state if you do not have a bird nesting box in your garden, there are some handmade, beautiful designed, boxes with required correct dimensions, currently available at O’Driscolls Garden Centre on the Mill Road here in Thurles, all at very affordable prices.
Rear opening entrance to Blue Tit nesting box
For those of you who already possess a nesting box, it’s time again, to clean out and maintained same, to ensure tenants for this coming Spring and Summer.
Old nests should be removed in the autumn or winter, preferably from October onwards, once parents and their brood have moved out of their home.
Birds, particularly Blue Tits, start early in their hunt for social housing. The site appears most often to be chosen by the wife, with the interior and entrance having been measured by the husband, using his wings as a tape measure. Blue Tits (Cyanistes caeruleus) love artificial nest-boxes and are probably the most common occupiers of same here in the Irish Republic.
The female of the Blue Tit species will build her nest alone, with her mate following her around to make sure that no other males make contact with her. This stated, it is estimated that over 40% of Blue Tit nests will contain at least one hatched chick that is possibly being reared by a male that is not its father.
Later, the male will feed the female, while she remains nesting and youngsters will leave the nest around three weeks after hatching occurs.
The old nests built by most birds can harbour nasty parasites, so once last year’s nest has been removed from the box, use boiling water to rid same of parasites. Let the box dry out thoroughly, before replacing the lid or back portion.
Remember parasites that remain can infest young birds that hatch the following year, so do scald the box out well and avoid, totally, the use of any form of disinfectant, soap solution, insecticide or parasite powder.
Try to avoid cleaning out your nest box in September, thus ensuring the nest is no longer active, as some species can nest right through until the end of September, each year.
The box shown here possibly because of its positioning; remaining clear of animals or destructive humans, has raised, over a 3 year period, 4 families of blue tits numbering in all 42; from a total of 42 eggs.
Where To Erect A Bird Nesting Box.
Correctly built nesting boxes are best constructed from untreated timber. Boxes for tits should be fixed at least two metres high (6ft) on a tree or a wall. Remember, if attached to a tree use soft cable ties rather than nails to secure your nesting box.
The success of the box, shown herewith, is the fact that it is partly hidden by overhanging vegetation, thus allowing the bird to vanish into overhanging ivy branches before accessing the box itself. While experts state that nesting boxes should face between north and east in direction, thus avoiding strong sunlight, driving summer rain and wind; this box faces south protected and shaded by the overhanging ivy, with no complaints from Blue Tit tenants.
* Innovative public resource on consent awareness and learning available for the first time.
* Focus on third level but resources will have direct relevance to wider society as part of national campaign on consent awareness.
Mrs Helen McEntee TD, (Minister for Justice), and Mr Simon Harris TD, (Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science), today launched an online learning hub on consent for the third level sector.
The online consent hub draws extensively on the work of the pioneering Active* Consent research team at NUI Galway. It provides, for the first time, a cohesive, publicly-available, educational resource on sexual consent for young people, their families, and educators who work with them.
Note: Active* Consent is a research programme at NUI Galway which had an initial aim of changing student experiences and college responses around sexual consent. Its work has expanded significantly with the philanthropic support from the Galway-based Lifes2good Foundation and from Rethink Ireland’s Arts to Impact programme. Active* Consent works across colleges throughout the third level sector in Ireland, offering training and resources. Lifes2good Foundation was founded in 2017, the primary focus in its first five years has been on supporting women and children in situations of vulnerability.
Minister McEntee stated,
“The Active* Consent research team in Galway, who are leading this project, have said there have been increased requests from students recently for the eLearning module due to the focus on sexual violence, harassment and bystander strategies. So this important resource is immediately in demand. Through ‘Supporting a Victim’s Journey’, I am focused on improving the criminal justice system for vulnerable victims and witnesses and on raising awareness of issues such as consent. Understanding consent plays a key role in reducing instances of sexual violence. This digital hub provides readily accessible resources which, importantly, will support not only the education sector but society wide participation in consent education and awareness. The Government is committed to raising awareness of the meaning and importance of consent in sexual activity, across all sections of society. While the hub – accessible at consenthub.ie – contains material for students and staff in higher level institutions, the content also has a direct relevance to a much wider audience. It includes information and resources for young people under 17, for parents, and for educators who work with young people”.
Minister Mr Simon Harris stated, “This is a really important hub of resources and tools for student and wider society engagement. It plays a key part in our overall goal to build a meaningful culture of consent in our campuses, further education settings and in our communities across Ireland. No part of our society is untouched by issues around consent. Ireland can take a leading role in confronting sexual violence and harassment and ensure people feel safe and empowered.”
The resources currently available through the online consent hub include;
Targeted information including consent definitions and explanations.
FAQs for each target group (under 17, youth over 17, parents, teachers/educators).
Self-directed eLearning module for young people on consent, sexual violence and harassment.
Information on how and where to get help if a negative sexual experience occurs to you or a friend.
Research on consent carried out with adolescents, young adults, and educators in Ireland.
Information on further training and resources.
Further content will be rolled out during 2022, including; but not limited to, eLearning resources on sexual media for young people and on consent, sexual violence, and harassment for professionals.
Dr Charlotte McIvor, (Active* Consent Programme Co-Lead, NUI Galway), stated:
“The online consent hub has one key message that we want all of Irish society to engage with: Consent is for everyone. It applies to all relationships, all genders, and all sexualities. Consent is an ongoing, mutual and freely-given agreement to take part in sexual activity”.
Dr Siobhán O’Higgins, (Active* Consent Programme Co-Lead, NUI Galway), stated:
“We have been working on our resources, messages, and education on consent for almost 10 years now. The online consent hub allows us to reach new groups, including marginalised members of our community, and to work with specialists on sexual violence and harassment like Rape Crisis Network Ireland and Galway Rape Crisis Centre to do so”.
Dr Padraig MacNeela, (Active* Consent Programme Co-Lead, NUI Galway), said,
“The online consent hub supports what we call ‘consent literacy’ across our society, so that people of all age groups and backgrounds feel confident in their knowledge and understanding of consent. Our goal is that everyone is empowered in their own lives, decisions, or work in consent conversations and actions. Not alone that, but we should all have the opportunity to know how to reach out to support others or for support ourselves, to be a positive influence for respect and equality in our schools, colleges, and communities”.
Same preparations are expected to include numerous video conferencing calls, numerous emails, a Mass celebration and party; all for Sr. Mary celebrating her amazing life which was dedicated to teaching.
Sr. Mary Britton
Sr. Mary was born on the 20th January 1922, during the Irish civil war; the eldest of the Britton family, from Cloncleigh, Two-Mile-Borris, Thurles, Co. Tipperary, the daughter of the late Edward and Johanna Britton and sister to brothers Paddy, Sean, Billy and Pierce, and the late Eddie, Christy, Johanna and Bridget (R.I.P). Baptised in St. James Church, Two-Mile-Borris, Thurles; Sr. Mary received her early education in the local national school. She received her First Holy Communion also in St. James Church in the village and later received her Confirmation in the nearby Church of St. Peter in Chains, Moycarkey, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.
In 1938, at the age of 17 years, Sr. Mary entered the Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy, in Timolegue, Co. Cork.
Due to the outbreak of World War II, (1939 -1945), travel was greatly curtailed and Sr. Mary spent the next eight years in Timolegue, Co Cork. It was while residing there that she qualified as a music and elocution teacher, having studied at the College of Music in Cork City and while travelling by train each day to Cork City. Same studies saw her receive the highest grades from Trinity College, London. Sr. Mary has always remained very musical, with a most beautiful singing voice.
In 1947 preparations were made for Sr. Mary and 18 other nuns, to sail to Australia and to take their religion and new teaching qualifications to the new Roman Catholic schools then being built. In November 1947, they departed from Glenmire railway station, Co Cork; travelling to Sean Heuston station in Dublin, before staying overnight in a convent in Dun Laoghaire.
The following day, together with 13 priests, they set sail from Dun Laoghaire harbour in Dublin, sailing to Holyhead in Wales.
SS Otranto 1947.
On arrival in Wales they continued by train to the port of South Hampton, England, where they boarded the then refitted troop ship SS Otranto, a passenger liner, then sailing regularly between England and Australia. The overall journey took some 5 weeks before arriving in Perth Harbour.
Sr. Mary well remembers the journey to Australia as being very pleasant. They were all treated very well, with the food, presented on board, being of the highest standard. They arrived in Perth Harbour on St. Stephen day, 1947, to sunshine, heat and clear blue skies, before taking another boat to Sydney harbour.
His Eminence Sir Norman Thomas Gilroy, KBE.
Here they were very well received, with the Archbishop of Sydney, later His Eminence Cardinal Sir Norman Thomas Gilroy, KBE, [Latter of Irish descent; the first Australian-born Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church, knighted in 1969], coming in person to welcome them and providing a celebratory feast for all the religious Irish weary travellers to enjoy.
Sr. Mary would then continue travelling on to Melbourne, before ending her journey in Brisbane, Queensland.
Sr. Mary’s first teaching post was in All Hallows’ Convent boarding school for girls, latter the first Catholic boarding school built in Brisbane. Here she spent some 37 happy years, teaching music, piano and violin together with other instruments. She also taught English and gave elocution classes to the girls. She taught singing, organised the choirs for the church in the school and the musicals for the boarding school stage.
Through her love of music and her friendly personality, Sr. Mary made many friends in the community around All Hallows’ Convent with many of her pupils remaining close friends long afterwards.
In 1984, Sr. Mary was invited to transfer to St. Bridget Convent School in Rosewood, Queensland. Rosewood is a small coal mining town about 38 miles from Brisbane. It has a population of approx. 3,000 people. Here Sr. Mary thrived, due to her good nature, her pleasant and cheerful personality and of course her great talent as a musician/singer.
Once again Sr. Mary made lifetime friends through her music and her involvement in the local community and church. She spent some 16 happy years in Rosewood, before the nuns transferred the school over to the local community.
On retirement, Sr. Mary returned to the Mater Hospital in Brisbane and again she became involved with the church and contributed greatly to parish work. Only last year did Mary, at the age of 99 years, go into a nursing home belonging to the Mercy Congregation, where she continues to attend Mass each day and participate in many other activities.
Sr. Mary returned to Ireland many times over the years and always enjoyed spending time with her family and friends from Two-Mile-Borris and the wider community here in Co. Tipperary. She holds many dear memories of her now deceased brothers and sisters (Eddie, Christy, Johanna Mc Donnell and Bridget Ryan, R.I.P.).
Sr. Mary remains in frequent contact with her brothers Paddy, Sean, Billy and Pierce, still residing in the village of Two-Mile-Borris, Thurles as well as her nieces and nephews; taking a special interest in their everyday lives.
It is with great joy we celebrate this upcoming occasion as Sr. Mary reaches her 100th birthday on Thursday January 20th, 2022.
A very happy birthday wish goes to Sr. Mary from all her friends and family here in Two-Mile-Borris, Thurles and Co. Tipperary.
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