Meath Women's Refuge and Support Services has said that it was unable to accommodate 429 women experiencing domestic violence and their children, last year.
The organisation has released its figures for last year ahead of International Women's Day on Saturday.
The charity said the figures for 2024 show how "the housing crisis and systemic barriers continue to leave women subjected to abuse at home with limited options".
The organisation provided emergency refuge accommodation to 196 women and children last year, up from 185 in 2023 and nearly double the 131 accommodated in 2022.
Its 24/7 helpline received 1,376 calls in 2024, up 22% from 1,122 in 2023, reflecting what it has said is the growing number of women reaching out for support.
Meath Women's Refuge and Support Services CEO Frances Haworth has called for urgent action to allow survivors of domestic violence to regain autonomy and independence.
"Every day, we see the impact of financial abuse, the housing crisis and the adversarial court system that trap women in abusive situations. The high incidence of domestic violence in Ireland is not just about individual perpetrators - it’s reflective of wider societal structures that limit women’s choices and safety.
"For example, the housing crisis is having an ongoing, devastating impact on families we work with. Last year, over a third of women who stayed with us in refuge exited to homeless accommodation and 20% went on to stay with a family member or friend. Just 5% secured social housing and 2% found private rented accommodation."
Ms Haworth added: "The fact that 429 requests for refuge went unmet in 2024 shows the scale of the problem. Every one of those requests represents a woman, and often children, seeking safety.
"Refuge provides short term crisis support for victims of domestic violence - is not a long-term solution to the housing needs of families. We need urgent community and governmental action now to ensure that as many people as possible can remain safely at home or have a pathway to secure long term housing for themselves and their children."
With more adult children forced to live at home with their parents, Meath Women’s Refuge and Support Services has said it has also noticed an increase in the number of older women seeking refuge from abusive adult sons.
In addition to providing refuge accommodation, the organisation also supports hundreds of women each year through court accompaniment, helpline support, counselling, and outreach services.
In 2024, the organisation supported 530 women through court accompaniment and outreach in the community, while 121 women received counselling.
Last November, it was announced that the charity had been awarded €8.9 million in funding for a new 12-unit refuge facility in Navan, which is set to open in 2027.
The organisation has said that the new facility will allow it to provide increased refuge capacity in Co Meath and grow its community presence with drop-in clinics and a greater focus on education and prevention.
