Disability services in County Galway are to benefit from the allocation of an additional €31 million in funding, with the majority of the funds to cover costs for complying with national residential standards and providing emergency residential places.
A total of €28 million is to be provided to address existing financial pressures within the sector to help cover costs incurred in complying with national residential standards; services to cope with the changing demands of people with disabilities; and the provision of emergency residential places.
The remaining €3 million is to be provided for new initiatives, including services to meet the needs of school leavers with disabilities and the anticipated cost of a number of emergency residential placements this year.
The funding has been welcomed by Independent Alliance Galway East TD and Minister of State for OPW and Flood Relief, Seán Canney. He also welcomed the fact that another fund announced this week will be used to restore the respite grant to its previous level of €1,700 a year.
“This is a vital grant for carers,” he said, “as it allows them to fund a well-deserved break from their duties. The restoration of the grant to its former level is an important marker in terms of recognising the work family carers do across the country.”
Further funding for Galway was alo announced this week in the form of a €16.4 million funding scheme for community and voluntary sector, under the Scheme to Support National Organisations.
The funding has been welcomed by Fine Gael Galway West TD and Minister of State for Gaeltacht Affairs and Natural Resources, Seán Kyne, who said it will “benefit several organisations either based in, or with strong links to, Galway”.
Community Workers Limited, and the Rape Crisis Network Ireland, will receiving c€270,000 each under the scheme. Other organisations that are benefiting, and that have branches or groups in Galway, include the Simon Communities of Ireland, the National Network of Women’s Refuges, and support Services (also referred to as Safe Ireland ), the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Ireland, the Irish Stammering Association, and the Irish Local Development Network Limited – the national organisation of local development companies.
