Hostel earmarked for women’s refuge
The site on the Old Dublin Road earmarked for the women's refuge in Carlow Picture: Michael O'Rourke
A SITE on the Old Dublin Road has been selected as the location for Carlow’s women's refuge.
Carlow is one of only nine counties without emergency accommodation for victims of domestic violence, but following the identification of the site work will now begin on progressing a ten-unit women’s refuge.
The service will be managed by Amber Women’s Refuge, which already provides emergency accommodation to women and children in Kilkenny city, as well as community-based outreach supports in both Carlow and Kilkenny.
Following a rigorous site selection and a feasibility process, the site at the former Monastery Hostel on the Old Dublin Road in Carlow town has been identified. Other agencies involved in the selection process included Carlow County Council, the Housing Agency and Cuan, the domestic, sexual and gender-based violence agency.
The identification of this site has permitted Amber to prepare and submit a stage 1 application under the Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS1) for its redevelopment.
Amber’s Naoimh Murphy said: “It’s the first step on a long road towards the establishment of a domestic violence refuge for women and children in Carlow. Subject to approval, significant further work remains, including the identification of a suitable design team and building contractors via a tendering process, site survey, stakeholder consultation and engagement in the planning permission process.”
Justice minister Helen McEntee said she looks “forward to work progressing quickly on this much-needed refuge”, adding: “Today marks an important first step in the work to establish a ten-unit domestic violence refuge in Carlow.”
The minister went on to congratulate Amber and the other agencies “who are working hard to progress this project, including Carlow County Council, the Housing Agency and Cuan, the domestic, sexual and gender-based violence agency”.
Speaking about the site selection, deputy Jennifer Murnane O’Connor said: “I am absolutely delighted to have heard of the approval of the site here in Carlow of the Old Monastery Hostel for a new domestic violence refuge.
“For people in Carlow and the surrounding areas, it is a great asset to have something like this in our town and county. We have the site, we have the building, it is now of paramount importance to get it up and running as soon as possible."
