The sod of a new residential unit and two modular units at Ability West in Portumna was turned December 17 by Minister for Disability and Senator, Anne Rabbitte.
Rabbitte, joined by the Ability West Senior Management Team, turned the sod to mark the official start of construction on the site. The residential five bedroom house being built will cost roughly over a million euro to build, while the two modular units to support people with disabilities attending Ability West's School Leavers programme will cost €300,000.
Minister Rabbitte said, "I’m delighted to see the continued development of Ability West’s services in Portumna. This new residential service will be the forever home for several service users. A lot of time and energy has gone into ensuring this project got off the ground and that the funding was secured, which I’m pleased to have assisted with. Praise is due to the various stakeholders involved, including Ability West themselves, Galway County Council and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage."
She added, "Only recently, I confirmed funding of €100,000 for the Ability West Best Buddies programme, which is a wonderful, volunteer led initiative that facilitates and supports inclusive communities and meaningful friendships for people with intellectual disabilities. This is on top of the recent funding provided to purchase a new wheelchair accessible mini-bus for service users accessing St. Dympna’s Day Service in Portumna."
She closed her statement saying, “As Minister for Disability, I’ve ensured that funding is provided from my disability budget to support best practice, and this has been demonstrated by Ability West’s plans for supporting people with disabilities in the locality."
