Time is running out for a decision to be made on whether local officers and volunteers will be allowed to travel to the US for domestic violence training.
It will take place in the city of St. Paul where a blueprint has been developed that has been highly successful in tackling domestic violence.
But so far no firm commitment to fund the trip has been made by the Garda Commissioner, and now the matter will be raised with Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan.
Clare FM’s Fiona Cahill reports:
Christy James, a domestic violence survivor from St. Paul was controlled, abused and violently attacked by her then partner, who was subsequently caught after she reached out to authorities.
Speaking at the time of a 2017 visit by a delegation from the city to Clare, she said she was only alive because of the response of authorities who came to her assistance.
That was under the model of the multi-agency Blueprint for Safety strategy, which is co-ordinated by Bree Adams-Bill.
She told Clare FM it has saved countless lives.
Officials in Clare and St. Paul have worked closely together, to the extent that Clare is in line to be the first place in Ireland to see Blueprint for Safety rolled out.
That requires a training trip to the US by a total of four people, from the Gardaí, COSC and Haven Horizons.
It would be funded by the Garda, but so far this has not been given the green light.
When Clare County Council wrote to the Garda and the office of the Taoiseach, all that was received in response were letters of acknowledgement.
Mayor of Ennis Councillor Clare Colleran Molloy is now pushing for a more comprehensive response.
Madeline McAleer, from Clare Haven doesn’t believe the financial aspect is the reason for the delay in the decision, saying it’s a relatively inexpensive trip.
She thinks they’re being forced to wait as matters are focused elsewhere.
Clare’s Senator says he will now raise the matter with the Justice Minister in the coming days.
Martin Conway admits the much of the Government’s attention is focused on Brexit but he says that doesn’t mean other work shouldn’t continue as well.
