Michael Colreavy (Sligo-North Leitrim, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the witnesses. I am aware of the extraordinarily good work that the Samaritans do in Ireland. One of my siblings is a volunteer with them. Lives can be turned around by the service that the Samaritans provide. This is a power for good and society has a responsibility to ensure that those who need this service have an easy path to it. That is the beauty of the good partnership between TIF and the Samaritans. TIF might not get the public credit that it deserves for arrangements such as this. It has a number of similar arrangements. I am not sure that wider society knows of the good role that TIF is playing. Perhaps it might consider this point in the discussions.

I agree that an organisation that is doing so much good for so many people should not have to be concerned about whether it will be able to provide the same level of service next year or in subsequent years. It should be able to take that as a given. The Samaritans should be having this discussion with TIF. It is not so that our committee will feel good about it, but that the people accessing the Samaritans' services will know that those services continue to be available.

It is great when people appear before the committee before there is a problem and outline how they will work together to ensure that there never will be one. The cost amounts to a great deal of money, but for the value of the work being done and the difference it makes to people's lives, it is small. Well done to the Samaritans and TIF. This is an example of good co-operation that makes a difference to people's lives. Keep it up.