Galway meeting sees Connemara FORUM support out in force

Connemara turned out in force at a public meeting to send a signal to Government to save its FORUM, the local development company.

Organisers estimate that a crowd of around 700 attended a ‘Save Connemara FORUM’ protest meeting in Peacocke’s Hotel in Maam Cross last Thursday, as anger bubbles locally over changes to how social inclusion programmes are to be delivered.

Terry Keenan, chairman of FORUM, said the huge attendance at the meeting sent a powerful message to Government that the Minister for Environment Alan Kelly should rethink the decision to restructure how SICAP (Social Inclusion Community Activation Programme) is administered.

“There was a lot of anger expressed at the meeting about the manner in which the decision was made and at the logic of that decision,” said Mr Keenan.

He confirmed that FORUM was continuing to explore its legal options but it was hoping for a political solution – and effectively a reprieve from Minister Kelly that would recognise the uniqueness of County Galway, its size, geographic spread and population.

FORUM Connemara last week warned that eleven workers in the community development partnership company have been put on protective notice due to changes to how social inclusion programmes are administered. FORUM says a “serious threat” also hangs over about 200 more jobs in the community in Connemara through schemes that are administered and supported by the Letterfrack-based company.

The new structures will impact a whole host of programmes for vulnerable people living in Connemara including the elderly, meals on wheels, essential housing repairs, respite breaks, farm family supports, a series of youth work programmes in schools, programmes for vulnerable adolescents, carers supports, people with disabilities and transport to Clifden day-hospital.

See full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune.