Carrigy leads calls for Longford family resource centre

The call was made this week by Fine Gael Senator Micheal Carrigy on the back of the recently published Longford Community Safety Plan 2022-2024.

In that report, the Ballinalee based politician alluded to its findings which unearthed how one in five of Longford's populous is from overseas and an unemployment rate that currenly exceeds the national average.

“There needs to be an increase in resources for family support throughout the county, focused on the whole family and not just children,” he said.

“A drop-in centre is needed in Longford town to make it easy for people to get the services they need, such as addiction services, counselling and help with forms.”

The former Longford county councillor said the capital cost on the exchequer in providing such a service would be minimal with a premises already identified.

Equally, Senator Carrigy called into question why €6m in funding provided to Child and Family Agency Tusla to increase supports to the wider community and voluntary sector had not included Longford.

“I do not think it is too much of an ask for the funding to be put in place to give us the services that we need in our town,” he said.

“We have a fantastic service in Longford Women's Link that provides domestic violence support.

“It is located just 400 metres away from where we have a site and a building that is fully functional and available to house a family resource centre.”