20 Miss Flaherty asked the Minister for Health if he will make a statement on his meeting with the Irish Country-women's Association regarding the inadequate service for battered women; and the action, if any, he proposes to take in response to their campaign.

I met a delegation from the Irish Countrywomen's Association last July to discuss their concerns about the victims of family violence.

As I explained to the delegation, I am very sympathetic to the needs of the unfortunate victims of family violence and I am committed to developing services and facilities for them as available resources permit.

The ICA delegation raised a number of issues which come within the area of responsibility of my colleague the Minister for Justice, whom I understood to contact on their behalf. I have just received a detailed response from the Minister for Justice and I have forwarded this to the Association.