Doherty: Announced closure of Donegal counselling service ‘requires intervention'

Deputy Pearse Doherty, has again called for the government to immediately intervene to address the announced closure of child and adolescent counselling services by the Raphoe Diocesan Centre. 

Currently, the Raphoe Diocesan Pastoral Services CLG are the only provider of child and adolescent counselling services in the county. The Raphoe Diocesan Pastoral Services operate outreach counselling services in Letterkenny, Dunfanaghy, Stranorlar, Creeslough, Buncrana, Carndonagh and  Dungloe.

The services will stop in mid-March after the not-for-profit organisation was unable to find funding for a full-time director of counselling and a coordinator

Deputy Doherty raised the issue with the Minister for State in the Department of Health in the Dáil, following a written engagement with the Minister for Health on Tuesday.

“In the Dáil this afternoon, I raised with the government the recent announcement by the Raphoe Diocesan Pastoral CLG Board of Directors that its counselling services will cease in March 2024, as a result of a lack of public funding for the role of a full-time director of counselling,” Deputy Doherty said.

“This followed engagement with Minister for Health on Tuesday, when myself and my colleague, Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn, called on the government to directly intervene.

“I welcome the fact that Minister Butler has confirmed that the HSE will engage with the counselling service provider which is under threat of closure, as we requested.

“As I said in the Dáil, this is a serious issue for the county which must be addressed.

“The counselling services provided by the Raphoe Diocesan Centre are a vital service right across the county, not just in Letterkenny but elsewhere.

“There are 120 clients availing of these counselling services at any one time, with hundreds on waiting lists.

“It has been delivering services across the county since 2010.

“It is where many families of the Creeslough tragedy turned to, including victims and their families.

“I spoke to one mother who lost her beautiful daughter in the Creeslough tragedy who spoke of the support both she and her family get from these services.

“The fact that this service is now winding down because they have been refused core funding is devastating to anybody availing of counselling services.

“On Tuesday, Deputy MacLochlainn and I wrote to the Minister for Health asking that the HSE and Tusla engage directly with the service provider.

“Today, Minister Butler confirmed to me that a meeting has been scheduled by the HSE to review the request made by Raphoe Diocesan Service.

“Myself and Deputy Mac Lochlainn will continue to engage with the government to ensure that these vital services continue to be provided in the county.”