"What planet are you on?": Solidarity TD Ruth Coppinger has slammed a claim by the Minister for Justice that tackling domestic violence is a priority for the government, pointing out while victims are turned away from underfunded refuges, horse and greyhound racing receives €84 million in government funding.

"The whole domestic violence sector gets one quarter of the funding that the racehorse and greyhound industries get every year," Deputy Coppinger told Minister Charlie Flanagan. "It actually gets less [than a quarter] - €20 million."

Earlier this month, 83 TDs voted in favour of the latest €84 million grant to horse and greyhound racing (bringing to more than one a quarter billion euros the amount handed over since 2001). Much of the money given to horse racing ends up as prize money in the pockets of wealthy horse owners and trainers, while the funding for greyhound racing continues despite plummeting attendance at tracks due to shocking revelations about cruelty and killing.

“€20 million is given to the domestic violence sector and €5 million is given to the sexual violence sector - pitiful amounts of money,” Deputy Coppinger stated, revealing that nine people per day are being turned away from refuges.

She added: “I want to just highlight briefly the Sonas refuge in Blanchardstown in my constituency. I paid a visit there some months ago and met the chief executive of Sonas. I was horrified when she told me that from that refuge alone, which is in the Taoiseach's constituency and mine, up to 500 women are turned away every year. While they do their utmost to find safe houses for the women, a number of those women stay in violent relationships. And because of the housing crisis, many women must leave the refuge after their stint is done and go into homelessness. What kind of a system is this?”

Please join us in renewing an appeal to Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and the Minister for Finance to stop all funding to horse and greyhound racing and redirect the money to the many worthy causes crying out for funding.

ACTION ALERT

Say NO to the cruel greyhound industry - don't attend greyhound races or fundraisers/hen parties/Christmas office parties held at greyhound tracks

STOP THE STATE FUNDING FOR GREYHOUND RACING

Another €84 million of scarce public funds has been approved for horse and greyhound racing for 2020. Contact Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe now and demand an end to state funding to horse and greyhound racing.

An Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar
Government Buildings,
Upper Merrion St, Dublin 2
Telephone: +353 (0)1-6194020
Email: taoiseach@taoiseach.gov.ie; leo.varadkar@oireachtas.ie; finegael@finegael.ie
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Paschal Donohoe TD
Minister for Finance
Email: paschal.donohoe@oireachtas.ie; minister@per.gov.ie
Phone: +353 (0)1 6045810
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Tweet to @Paschald

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https://www.change.org/p/stop-supporting-the-cruel-greyhound-industry

GAA: Stop club fundraisers at greyhound tracks
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Tell Gain Pet Nutrition to Stop Sponsoring Greyhound Racing
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Dáil debates
Wednesday, 11 December 2019
What are Dáil debates?
Domestic Violence: Statements

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)

This is also the time of year when women in violent relationships live in fear and dread at the onset of Christmas and the season to come because of emotional manipulation, financial pressure and the added likelihood of physical violence all spike at Christmas because of many different factors.

I have been at a number of debates in here but I have to beg to differ with the claim from the Minister for Justice and Equality when he introduced this topic. I could not believe my eyes. He said the Government had made a major priority of tackling domestic violence and he was confident that in the future, 2019 would be recognised as a landmark year. What planet are you on? In actual fact, the whole domestic violence sector gets one quarter of the funding that the racehorse and greyhound industries get every year. It actually gets less - €20 million. The idea that this Government has made it a priority...I can't think of a greater contrast to government complacency and the outrage that exists on this internationally...As I said, €20 million is given to the domestic violence sector and €5 million is given to the sexual violence sector. The pitiful amounts of money. That is why nine people per day are being turned away from refuges.

I want to just highlight briefly the Sonas refuge in Blanchardstown in my constituency. I paid a visit there some months ago and met the chief executive of Sonas. I was horrified when she told me that from that refuge alone, which is in the Taoiseach's constituency and mine, up to 500 women are turned away every year. While they do their utmost to find safe houses for the women, a number of those women stay in violent relationships. And because of the housing crisis, many women must leave the refuge after their stint is done and go into homelessness. What kind of a system is this? The Minister tells us it is a priority for the Government. That is seriously difficult to listen to.

https://www.kildarestreet.com/debates/?id=2019-12-11a.570