Canney welcomes commitment on Youthwork Ireland services
East Galway TD Seán Canney has welcomed a commitment by HSE West to fund the counselling service provided by Youthwork Ireland Galway from September to Christmas.
On Monday evening, Oireachtas members from county Galway met with Tony Canavan, Chief Officer, HSE Community Healthcare Organisation to discuss the future of the counselling service provided by Youthwork Ireland in Galway city and county.
‘At the meeting we received a commitment that the Youthwork Ireland counselling service in Galway will be funded up to the end of the year. Oireachtas members will now seek to meet with Minister Jim Daly, the Minister of State for Mental Health to discuss the matter further and seek to ensure that funding for this vital service is put on a proper footing for next year.
‘The commitment to provide the funds to secure the service for the remainder of 2017 was our first priority and now that the funding is secure in the short term, we must seek a long term solution. We will seek to liaise with the Department of Health and Minister Daly and are arranging a meeting with Minister Daly this week, prior to the summer recess, to discuss the matter further.
‘The counselling service provided by Youthwork Ireland to young people aged 12 to 15 in Tuam, Loughrea, Ballinasloe and Galway City is vital and long-term funding must be achieved to secure the future of this important service.’