'Shocking' that West Cork town has no family resource centre
The councillor said: “The department simply needs to meet the needs of Clonakilty." Picture: Denis Scannell.
A councillor has called for the provision of a family resource centre in the growing town of Clonakilty in West Cork.
Speaking at the recent meeting of Cork County Council’s West Cork Municipal District, Social Democrats councillor Isobel Towse said it was “shocking” that Clonakilty did not have such a resource.
In a motion proposed at the meeting Ms Towse asked: “That the West Cork Municipal District will write to Tusla and the Department of Children, Disability and Equality asking they fund the provision of a family resource centre for Clonakilty.”
She said:
Ms Towse said Clonakilty was often regarded as “affluent and privileged,” and “perhaps that's to it's detriment, because there’s no doubt that is there and it's all very nice for attracting tourism, but what people on the outside don’t see is the poverty and social issues and the lack of services to address these, leaving families struggling alone.”
She said as a councillor who had knocked on every single door in the town multiple times, she saw struggling families firsthand. She said speaking with organisations in the town that deal with social issues and social work, made it clear there was a major gap in the provision of supports for families and children in the area.
She added: “The department simply needs to meet the needs of Clonakilty. We now have a homeless shelter for families, a direct provision centre, and 20% of all housing estates are social housing, on top of the new social housing estates that have gone up recently.
"Vulnerable, disadvantaged, and marginalised families need support. They deserve better.”
Replying for the council, Municipal District officer Eimear O’Neill said with the members agreement, letters would be sent to Tusla and the Department of Children.
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