Finglas youth counselling funding
Deputy Hearne said the Hear Me Out youth mental health service in Finglas faces funding uncertainty despite supporting vulnerable young people. The Tánaiste said he would raise the matter with the HSE and the Minister of State for mental health.
Finglas is a strong, proud community. However, it faces challenges and some very high levels of disadvantage from a long-standing lack of public investment in communities. It is a community devastated by recent tragedy, so it is deeply disappointing that a vital counselling service for young people in Finglas, the Hear Me Out youth mental health service run by the Finglas Youth Resource Centre, is facing a lack of funding. The service has provided support for hundreds of young people in relation to various issues such as anxiety, drug use, school refusal, self-harm and trauma. Now the service has had to take the initiative to organise a fundraiser in Erin's Isle GAA club on 21 February. I know the community will support that.
Is it not unacceptable that a youth counselling service providing vital support in Finglas has to organise a fundraiser because of the lack of certainty of funding? Hear Me Out has submitted a detailed business proposal to the HSE inclusion office and to the Minister of State, Deputy Butler. The service has been given limited funding by Dublin City Council but is likely to face funding uncertainty in less than six months. Will the Tánaiste raise this issue with the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, and the HSE and ensure that this service can continue?
Comment on this
I certainly will. I acknowledge the huge sense of loss and tragedy the Deputy's community is experiencing now. I thank him for telling me about the Hear Me Out youth mental health and counselling service. It sounds like it has made a really positive impact in his community. On foot of the Deputy raising it here today, I will raise it with the chief executive of the HSE and with the Minister of State, Deputy Mary Butler, in relation to where the service's application for funding certainty is at. I will ask that the Minister of State comes back to the Deputy directly.