Mental Health facility proposed for Longford Barracks

Local election hopeful Julia O'Reilly has submitted a proposal to Longford County Council Regeneration Programme for the full use of Connolly Barracks in Longford town as a new mental health facility for the county.

Included in her proposal are details of a 'Free Will' programme, which will include mindfulness sessions and therapy,  as well as a number of classes and activities for those using the facility.

The facility, according to Ms O'Reilly, “will see children helped in behaviour and aggression, music therapy, LGBTI children and family therapy, meditation, yoga, breathing exercises, pilates, alternative medicine and benefits of herbs education, walk clubs, addiction clinic, eating plans, brother and sister clubs, gardens, vegetables and herb gardens, art therapy and much more”.

Also within the proposal for the facility are details of a Traveller suicide prevention programme. Suicide is on the rise within the Travelling Community, Ms O'Reilly explained, and a programme such as this will “help and encourage the individual to express and regress all issues without fear of judgement”.

Other programmes within the proposal deal with issues such as domestic violence for those who are crying out for help. This programme, Ms O'Reilly said, could link up with local charity, Bethany House.

There are also proposals for a Refugee Mental Health programme and a 'Parents' Sofa Programme', which aims to provide stressed parents with an opportunity to express themselves using positive, mind-changing tools.