Pippa Hackett (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

In February I welcomed my Green Party colleague, the Minister, Deputy Roderic O'Gorman, to Portlaoise to unveil a powerful Pride mural on Lyster Square to mark one year of the midlands LGBT+ project. After the Laois launch in summer 2021, Midlands LGBT+ Project identified the huge need for similar support for people in Offaly, Kildare and beyond. In response to this the group has expanded its services to Offaly and at the weekend arrived with a splash of colour at its launch event in Tullamore. I was lucky enough to attend. Its mission is to reduce isolation for adult LGBT+ persons living in the midlands. It runs a number of virtual and in-person peer support groups such as its Laois social group, Trans Midlands and Queer Book Club, as well as many LGBT+ events throughout the year. It also provides training to businesses and community groups and delivers school workshops. While we are lucky to have organisations such as Midlands LGBT+ in Laois and Offaly, nobody should experience isolation because of how they identify. Yet tragic and violent events in Dublin and Sligo recently tell us that we still have a lot left to do.