FERMANAGH Women’s Aid (FWA) is being forced to turn away an increasing number of those seeking refuge due to funding limits, it has confirmed.
Speaking to the ‘Herald, FWA interim CEO Kerrie Flood explained while the services had helped hundreds of women and children in recent years, it could have helped even more if not for underfunding.
Ms Flood was speaking after the issue of Women’s Aid funding was raised by local representatives at the January meeting of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council.
The Council had written to a number of Stormont departments and agencies in September seeking details of funding provided to the services in the Fermanagh and Omagh district.
Health Minister Mike Nesbitt responded that his department did not hold funding data at council level.
However, the Western Health and Social Care Trust confirmed it has provided funding to Fermanagh Women’s Aid in recent years.
Figures supplied show the organisation received £59,301 in 2022/23, £68,563 in 2023/24 and £63,659 in 2024/25.
Speaking after reviewing the figures, Ms Flood said the organisation was significantly underfunded.
“I have reviewed our annual accounts for the past three years and, quite simply, Fermanagh Women’s Aid is underfunded. The evidence is clear,” she said.
Ms Flood explained that between 56 per’cent and 64 per’cent of the organisation’s total income comes from statutory funding, primarily through
Supporting People and the Western Trust.
The Trust’s funding accounts for approximately 16 to 19 per’cent of overall income and supports specialist services for women and children affected by domestic abuse.
Supporting People funding makes up between 38 and 45 per’cent, covering refuge accommodation and community-based housing support.
She said this funding underpins essential services including refuge provision, homelessness prevention, safeguarding and specialist support for women and children.
However, she warned that reliance on short-term, annually renewed funding models does not reflect the increasing scale and complexity of demand.
“Over the past two to three years, we have supported between 250 and 390 women annually through community-based services, alongside more than 200 children and young people each year.
“Despite this, a lack of funded capacity has forced us to turn away growing numbers from refuge accommodation.
“In 2023/24, 24 women and 19 children could not be accommodated. This rose to 44 women and 24 children in 2024/25, the highest level recorded,” she said.
“Domestic abuse services operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The issue is not value for money, it is sustainability.”
