Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 31 March 2004
88 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the Irish emigrant support centre in Coventry, England, known as Teach na hÉireann; if his attention has further been drawn to the fact that due to funding constraints it is only open for two days per week; if he will consider providing funding to allow the centre to operate seven days per week; and if he will make a statement on the matter [9915/04]
View answerThe Teach na hÉireann project was set up in 1999 by the Irish Elders Resource Centre in Coventry and was officially opened by the Lord Mayor of Coventry in October 2000. Teach na hÉireann is a day care and resource centre for elderly Irish people. With the backing of Coventry City Council and the Coventry Irish Society, it set out to establish a facility targeted at reducing the social isolation experienced by Irish elders living in the community and to offer culturally sensitive social, educational, health and welfare support to those who are most at risk. It offers an outreach service, provided by its volunteers, of whom there are more than 20 at present, for those Irish elderly people who for physical or social reasons cannot access the centre.
In 2003, it had 208 clients, of which 88 were Irish men and 105 were Irish women. The DION fund, which is administered by the Irish embassy in London through the DION committee, has provided grant support to the centre for a number of years as follows: 1999 — £16,000, €20,316; 2000 — £21,333, €27,087; 2001 — £25,000, €31,743; 2002 — €31,740; and 2003 — €30,158.
In 2003 the centre provided a day care service to elderly Irish people on two days each week. I understand that it wishes to provide day care on a five day per week basis and to expand outreach services and offer home support services. In its recent application to the DION committee it indicated that, from the beginning of 2004, the project manager's working time has been increased from 20 to 30 hours per week to specifically target funds and grants from other sources, for example, charitable trusts, statutory bodies, commercial companies, and to increase support to its voluntary fund-raising committee. It also requested DION to increase its grant in 2004 in order that its overall objective of providing a full-time service could be realised.
The DION committee will examine the Teach na hÉireann application for continuation of funding for the two existing posts of project manager and a part-time support worker, as well as two new part-time posts of administrator and outreach worker at its next meeting in late April 2004. I also understand that the centre continues to receive funding — £25,000 in 2003 — from the local city council in recognition of its work in improving the quality of life of older Coventry residents.
