Minister Joe O’Brien visits community initiatives in Roscommon
- An opportunity to see community development projects in Co. Roscommon.
Joe O’Brien TD, Minister of State at the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Department of Social Protection is visiting projects and community initiatives supported by his Departments in Co Roscommon on Friday 29 April.
The Minister’s visit started in the Old Schoolhouse in Ballaghaderreen where he launched Roscommon Partnership’s Strategic plan.
The Minister said:
“I am pleased to launch Roscommon Partnership’s Strategic Plan, which lays out what will not doubt be excellent work done by the Partnership in future years. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all those working with the Partnership for all the extra work and effort during the pandemic, and the current response to the arrival of those from Ukraine.”
The Minister then visited the family resource centre in the Old Schoolhouse building, which is supported by the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP), and provides support to local families.
Following this Minister O’ Brien opened a new Childcare Centre nearby which will provide childcare for families living in the community, which was renovated with the assistance of the Rural Social Scheme.
Opening the new Childcare Centre, Minister O’Brien said:
“I am delighted to open this new Childcare Centre which will provide much needed affordable childcare to families living in the community. I’d like to thank those working with the Rural Social Scheme for their initiative and resourcefulness in renovating this building to enable families to avail of this service”
The next stop in the Minister’s itinerary was at the Ukrainian refugee reception centre in Donamon, which is providing services to arrivals from the Ukraine and supported by the SICAP Programme, where the Minister met a number of new arrivals from Ukraine.
“It is heartening to see the warm welcome that is being shown to arrivals to this community from the Ukraine, and I commend the resourcefulness of these organisations in providing services. I ask that we all continue to extend this warm welcome and pull together to provide assistance and services to our friends from the Ukraine”
Minister O’Brien then went on to Castlecoote, where he met members of Castlecoote Tidy Towns who demonstrated the important impact that their biodiversity plan is having on the village. The Minister launched two projects funded by EU ERASMUS+ focusing on the circular economy and biodiversity.
The Minister said:
“Biodiversity and circular economy are more important now than ever. It is fantastic to see local projects like this which enrich the local environment. I hope to see many more similar projects nationwide.”
Speaking about his visit to Roscommon, Minister O’Brien concluded:
“It is fantastic to visit Roscommon and to see the great work that these communities carry out with support of the Departments of Rural and Community Development and Social Protection, as well as broader Government.”
“One job of Government is to support communities so that they can develop to become vibrant and inclusive. The projects I have visited demonstrate the resourcefulness of communities in developing solutions to improve their areas and enhance the quality of community life.”