Appeal for Louth council’s housing staff to be trained in helping victims of domestic violence

By Olivia Ryan, The Drogheda Independent

Fresh calls have been made for specialised training for Louth County Council housing staff dealing with victims of domestic violence who may be at risk of homelessness.

The issue was raised at this month’s meeting of Louth County Council, where Cllr. Sionnain McCann questioned what supports are available to tenants—whether in social housing or HAP-supported accommodation—who must flee their home due to domestic abuse.

Cllr. McCann said people escaping violent or abusive situations can find themselves in a difficult position when seeking help, as they are still technically considered housed and therefore may not qualify for homeless services.

“I understand there are constraints on emergency spaces, but are there any staff within the homeless section who are actually trained to deal with people who are fleeing from domestic violence?” she asked.

She said people in crisis need to be met by someone who understands the trauma they are experiencing: “Is there an individual who knows how to deal with people in these circumstances and how to speak to them?”

She asked whether training is available to ensure staff can appropriately support those who find themselves in such situations.

Responding, Ger Murphy, Director of Services, said: “As you can appreciate, we are not the experts in dealing with cases of domestic violence.”

However, he noted that Louth is “very fortunate” to have two dedicated domestic violence shelters, one in Dundalk and one in Drogheda, and that Council housing staff regularly liaise with these services when someone presents as a victim or potential victim of abuse.

Mr. Murphy said staff have gained “a good bit of informal training over the years” through dealing with cases that come to their attention. While this may not be specific training, he said staff have developed “good, on‑the‑ground first-hand experience.”

The Council’s main approach, he said, is to “link in” with both Women’s Aid services in the county: “They are the experts, and they provide really good services.”

In a separate query, Cllr. Paddy McQuillan raised concerns about people whose relationships have broken down when their names remain on a mortgage or tenancy agreement, leaving them unable to access the housing list or homeless supports.

“I think the best thing is for them to get their names removed, but there seems to be a gap in that they cannot be added to the council’s housing list, or get access to the homeless services,” he said. He asked whether this rule is “written in stone” or handled on a case‑by‑case basis.

Mr. Murphy responded that, in the eyes of the law, “If your name is on a mortgage or on a tenancy then you are adequately housed.” He added that resolving such situations is a matter for the individuals involved: “It is up to the couple to resolve that issue, whether one person wants to be removed from a mortgage or tenancy.”