Historically, and understandably, men are reluctant to admit their need for refuge. Women fought for the provision of refuges in Ireland – and in other countries – and still there aren’t enough. A very, very, sad indictment on our society. It’s good that there is a refuge for men opening now. At this time I imagine neither men nor women will get any further financial support from the government. I’ve always thought, anyway, that the perpetrator should be the one forced to leave the home. No doubt I’ll get some ‘lively’ response to this:)

The sad truth is that DV is at parity now.. The further truth is that more women strike first than men, that’s not to say that more often women don’t end up worse off… But that asks the question.. Is it DV if a man hit back in self defence?? That women fought or didn’t fight for refuge centres is of no relevance at all…. we live in a time where women cry about equality all the time… Firstly after all that has happened for women in this area….. It’s time for some rights for men…. To their kids, to being seen as victims of DV rather than laughed at by the Gardai……. For me it’s all about Absolute Equality… no holds barred …. and to be honest, Most Women don’t want that

You make a lot of sweeping generalisations about what ‘most’ or ‘more’ women do or want, I would like to see anything at all that backs up these claims. Do Gardai ‘laugh’ at men who are the victims of DV? Do you have any evidence for this? Have you reported these gardai for dereliction of duty?

Arlene, yes I have evidence of what I say, including an Ex Garda who was beaten by his drunk wife several times and then arrested by his own colleagues upon her lying through her ass… I have my own story and those of 100′s of others I have helped…. So tell me this Arlene… if women are so up for REAL equality… why is it that 99.8% of the time mothers get custody of children in marriage/ relationship breakdown????

That’s not evidence, that an anecdote and proves nothing at all about who is the aggressor in the majority of cases. As to why women get children, I don’t know, it is a system that requires an overhaul via the courts, though I suspect it had a lot to do with Éamon de Valera’s drafting of the constitution, which was explicitly Catholic and said in no uncertain terms that a woman’s place was in the home. Therefore, when a marriage broke down it was the man who left said ‘home’ and as a result the children stayed put in the ‘home’.

I Agree, after they caught about 5,000 child benefit cheats, by sending letters to their addresses and visiting when no reply was fort coming. You’d have figured that that would have got the alarm bells ringing

Thanks PJ – that has been amended.
Regards
Aoife

That’s not what I was asking Chris. How can someone receiving less than €200 per week afford flights, accomodation, spending money etc if they are paying rent, bills, food etc here? I think the point of this article is to highlight the FACT that a lot of foreign nationals claiming benefits here actually live and possibly work elsewhere. That is what I consider a joke. We have not had a holiday in several years because we cannot afford it. Clearly we need to be on SW….

If they had to sign on every week, that might make a difference, and between specific hours, or no benefit. If you’re genuinely unemployed, you’ll be able to comply. If you’re sick provide proof. Tough, I know, but it’s tough for everyone, and more than tough for others. No-one should be barely scratching an existence in their own country while others exploit what seems to be a very ‘loose’ system. Imagine being able to afford all the flights back and forth!!!

@Chris. Why?

IN the same manner as so many single mothers can, even though they are on benefits …. The whole system is screwed from the top to the bottom….. Give me and 4 mates a year in the Dail, and things would be very different, however as a free thinker they wouldn’t want the likes of me in there… Shell would be gone for a start, Grass/hash legalised, corrupt politicians/bankers/developers all in jail, Nationalise the natural resources for the benefit of the people and that would be just the first 4 weeks………..

Well, those people are clearly not the recipients the SW are investigating. It is the the people who are flying in and out every month and have raised questions about their true country of residence. A holiday once in a blue moon is obviously not the problem being referred to in the article.