Hopes are high that Longford is well placed to be selected for Family Resource Centre

There is increasing hope that Longford is on track to be selected for a new Family Resource Centre.

An application was submitted to Tusla -the Child and Family Agency last July when Longford town was one of 49 nationwide submissions which were reviewed.

During that time the Needs Assessment Report for the development of a Family Resource Centre in Longford Town was published and The Attic House on the Ballinalee Road was identified as the premises for a new FRC.

However, there was disappointment last September when it emerged Longford narrowly missed out and the county town was not one of five locations chosen for the facility.

Minister for Children and Disabilities Norma Foley is due to visit Longford town next Thursday morning and there is increasing confidence that Longford town may be successful this time around.

Longford TD Micheál Carrigy, who was part of the Longford Family Resource Centre steering committee, said he is confident the county town is well placed to be selected.

The Ballinalee native stated there was significant work done by various agencies and individuals during the past 18-24 months and during the unsuccessful application in 2017-2018.

He is confident Longford has the best possible chance given the huge work that has been undertaken.

"The Attic committee put in fantastic work over a long number of years to benefit the facility there.

"The committee that came together chaired by Veronica [Brennan], along with other agencies, has put together an application that is second top none.

"It's fantastic, it's needed and the compliments need to go to go to the people that have been working away over the last number of years on it.

"The various agencies that came together, done the needs assessment, the local authority have been involved, the community civic partnership, other agencies to put their shoulder to the wheel and the people that put their names forward to take on roles in the boards of management to manage this facility into the future. "

The needs assessment report outlined Longford town now has one of the highest levels of deprivation in the country with almost 35% of residents born overseas, 6% identifying as members of the Traveller community and over 24% of residents living with a disability.

Local Fianna Fáil Senator Joe Flaherty said he is very hopeful that when Minister Foley observes the Attic and the location it will help to secure the resource for Longford.

"We are about 15 years pursuing this project in Longford, [Last September] that was the second time that that we went to the well and we came back disappointed.

Then obviously it's Minister Foley's department and whilst she funds it, she doesn't necessarily look at the scoring system.

There were 15 centres put forward by TUSLA and the top five then got funded and unfortunately Longford wasn't in the top five.

"Since that happened I've been fairly unrelenting in contacting the Minister and impressed upon her the need for this.

Senator Flaherty said the Minister has also been in Longford before in her capacity as Minister for Education.

"She is very familiar with the challenges that do pertain to Longford town both socio and economically and the Minister is a great champion and she's a great supporter of the Family Resource Centre.

"She see's it really as the gateway for communities like Longford in terms of breaking down deprivation, in terms of breaking down a societal and cultural norm and to get this support as quick as possible into a local community, the best way to do that is through a Family Resource Centre."

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