John McGahon (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Last night, I spoke to Bernie Quinn from Dundalk. She has done tremendous work with Dundalk Outcomers over the past three decades in County Louth. Dundalk Outcomers provides a service that stretches from Skerries right up into County Monaghan and throughout all of County Meath. It is a very serious issue that funding for an outreach officer was not approved by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. This was funding providing to support LGBTI+ community organisations in the delivery of services and initiatives under scheme A. This has been a scheme which has got funding in the past two years. An outreach officer was appointed in June of this year, and who, between June and today, has organised 47 different community outreaches from north Fingal, represented by the Deputy Leader, through counties Meath and Monaghan and all of County Louth. Another 19 outreach events have been organised between now and Christmas. In total, that is 67 outreach events between June and Christmas. Now that person will lose their job and will no longer be able to continue in that role because the Minister's Department has not provided funding on this occasion. I accept this may be more acceptable as a Commencement debate but considering we are off next week, I wanted to get the opportunity to raise it in the House today. This is a really important service for that community right across the north east. It is invaluable funding and it goes towards so much work. While I only have a few seconds here, I will forward the details to Members of the huge amount of outreach the person in this position has been able to do. Without this funding, these events will not take place. I would appreciate a debate with the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, at some stage in the future about how we can ensure the continuation of this funding over two- to three-year periods in order that it is not provided in one year and taken away the following year.