A TOTAL of €1m will be set aside for initiatives to enhance the wellbeing of Ukrainians in Ireland who were forced to abandon their homes due to war.

Minister of State with Responsibility for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy, Hildegarde Naughton TD, Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien TD, and Paul Dunne, Chief Executive Officer, Local Government Management Agency recently made the joint announcement. 

The allocations of funds will see €1 million divided between Local Authority Community Response Forums across the country.

Announcing the fund, Minister of State with Responsibility for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy, Hildegarde Naughton TD, said:

“Healthy Ireland works in partnership with Local Government and communities to improve the health and wellbeing of everyone in Ireland through the Sláintecare Healthy Communities Programme and the Healthy Cities and Counties initiative. This additional funding will enable our Local Authority partners to assist Ukrainian refugees to integrate into their communities and build healthy lives here in Ireland.” 

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien TD, also welcomed the allocation of funding.

“Local Government’s partnership with Healthy Ireland is building Healthy Communities and improving people’s health and wellbeing in communities across Ireland,” he said. “I welcome this additional funding from Healthy Ireland for projects in each of the 31 Local Authorities that will supplement the excellent work being done on the ground by the Local Authority Community Response Forums.” The Healthy Ireland Ukrainian Resilience Fund is a once-off €1 million fund which will support projects developed by Local Authority Community Response Forums.

Distributed by Healthy Ireland, the funds will benefit some 30 Local Authorities across Ireland. These have been specially selected by Local Authorities and local partners based on their specific needs. They will enable local communities helping Ukrainian refugees by delivering a range of health and wellbeing initiatives in line with the vision of Healthy Ireland, A Framework for Improved Health and Wellbeing 2013-2025.

A range of projects have a focus on physical activity and movement, including yoga, dance, and adapted physical activity sessions aimed at older or medically vulnerable people. Others offer therapeutic interventions to provide support in coping with the trauma of war and displacement, including one to one and group counselling support for adults and play and art therapy for children.

Paul Dunne, Chief Executive Officer Local Government Management Agency said:

“Locally led initiatives are key to the health and wellbeing of communities. This fund builds on the work Local Authorities are doing to support the physical, mental and social wellbeing of everyone in their communities.”