Minister visits West Cork to see services

MINISTER Hildegarde Naughton visited West Cork on Tuesday to see firsthand how new services are aiming to improve quality of life for residents in the county.

The Minister for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy met with representatives from Cork County Council, the HSE and the community partners involved in the delivery of a range of services in the area.

Ms Naughton visited Gabriel Lodge, which provides residential respite services to people experiencing homelessness following discharge from hospital or residential addiction services.

“Communities shape many aspects of our lives, and engagement through creativity, physical activity and education can greatly enhance the health and wellbeing of the population,” she said.

“I’m really looking forward to hearing from everyone involved in Healthy Ireland initiatives and to meeting the team who work tirelessly to deliver day after day for the good of the community.”

During a visit to Clonakilty Primary Care Centre, the Minister heard from participants in various initiatives funded by Healthy Ireland, including Healthy Food Made Easy courses, FunFit classes and Staying Fit for the Future workshops.

She also met representatives of the West Cork Travellers Centre in Clonakilty.

In Skibbereen, Ms Naughton visited Uillinn West Cork Arts Centre to learn about the progress of community engagement programmes including the “Blanket Stitch” project and will meet with representatives from the West Cork Islands Health Forum.

Minister Naughton said: “Social prescribing can be a very successful alternative to medication in certain cases, and is an invaluable resource for many people.

“I’m particularly interested to see the suite of supports in this area which help ensure more positive health outcomes for those who use them.”

The Minister concluded her visit to Cork with a meeting with West Cork Women Against Violence Project who have been providing support for women in the region for over 20 years.