27/04/2026
SAOL Project Marks National Launch of Seeking Safety Ireland Strategic Plan
SAOL Project has joined partners from across the country to mark the launch of Seeking Safety Ireland’s Strategic Plan 2026 to 2029, Building Bridges to Safe Futures, at the Mansion House in Dublin.
The event, at the Mansion House, opened by Lord Mayor of Dublin Ray McAdam, brought together women with lived and living experience, frontline workers, policymakers, advocates and elected representatives to recognise the impact of Seeking Safety Ireland and its next phase of development.
SAOL Project is one of seven partners delivering Seeking Safety Ireland, alongside Ruhama, The Red Door Project, Roscommon Women’s Network, Ballyfermot STAR, Ballymun STAR and Sophia Housing, in partnership with the HSE.
Seeking Safety Ireland supports women living with the intersecting realities of trauma, substance use and domestic, sexual and gender based violence. The programme is trauma informed, evidence based and present focused, supporting women to build safety, coping skills and recovery without requiring them to revisit traumatic experiences.
Since its pilot phase, Seeking Safety Ireland has supported over 400 women nationally. Women engaging with the programme often face overlapping challenges including poverty, homelessness, isolation, separation from children, sexual exploitation and violence. The programme provides a structured, safe and supportive space where women can stabilise their lives, make safer choices and reconnect with hope.
Gary Broderick, CEO of SAOL Project, said:
“At SAOL, we have long understood that women’s substance use cannot be separated from trauma, inequality and violence. Seeking Safety has strengthened our ability to respond to women in ways that are practical, evidence based and grounded in dignity, safety and trust. It offers women the space to build coping skills, strengthen stability and move towards recovery without judgement. As both a delivery partner and host organisation, SAOL is proud to be part of building Seeking Safety Ireland as a sustainable national model that reflects women’s realities and responds to the complexity of their lives.”
The Strategic Plan sets out the next phase of the work, with a focus on sustainable funding, national expansion, workforce development, fidelity to the model and stronger interagency collaboration.
Ann Marie Flanagan, Manager of Seeking Safety Ireland, said:
“SAOL has played a central role in the development of Seeking Safety Ireland, bringing leadership, vision and deep expertise in women’s recovery and trauma informed practice. Their contribution has helped shape this work as a national model grounded in women’s realities, evidence based practice and interagency collaboration. Over the next three years, our aim is to strengthen and expand this work so more women can access safety, recovery and dignity in their own communities.”
The launch marked a significant step in moving Seeking Safety Ireland from a successful pilot to a sustainable national programme, ensuring that women across Ireland can access integrated support that reflects the realities of their lives.
