Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State, but I must ask the question again. I appreciate that a large amount of money went into developing this centre last year. It was opened in June 2020 and funding was made available for four posts. The remaining funding was to be put in place from 2021. The four posts were put in place and people were hired. Then the funding was pulled or ended in some way at the end of 2020. It is only now in July 2021 that funding has been put in place. These are critical services for young people throughout the western region, even beyond County Roscommon.

They are critical services for older people. It is not good enough that I have had to raise this issue repeatedly. I have sent several emails and I have met the head of mental health services. I have raised this repeatedly. I have not received a reply to an email I sent to the Minister of State in May on this funding, which is regrettable and disappointing. I do not want to see us here next year looking for this funding again. Why was it not put in place in January?

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