This article is from page 7 of the 2009-09-15 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 7 JPG
VISITING Minister, Eamon O Cuiv would not be drawn on whether he has been given any indication as to the future of his department.
During last week’s visit to New- market on Fergus, he said that he is “confident” community and volun- tary groups will still be facilitated by whichever body is given responsibil- LAAs Koma elo 00
But he was giving no guarantees as to what funding will be there for these groups once the recommenda- tions of An Bord Snip Nua have been Tbenetorneronicoee
The Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs minister was in the Banner County to officially open the extension to the Obair community facility.
Being quizzed by reporters on what will happen to community groups such as Obair if his Department gets the chop under Bord Snip, the Min- ister said it is “not who delivers the service that matters but that the serv- ices are delivered”.
“IT don’t get over-exercised about the construction of Government de- partments…it’s business as usual for us. We have to make the budget fit. But if my Department is gone then the new departments will continue to run the functions for groups such as
this as long as there is money there for it.”
But the Minister could not com- ment on how many jobs might be lost or which areas of funding cut in his
Department. “It is too early for that”, |aTemcy- HOR
Louis Creaven, chairman of Obair thanked the minister for performing the official opening but said there is
‘‘a dark cloud behind the silver lining and I have to tell you that the board of Obair is seriously concerned about the future. It is not an exaggeration to say that our services may have to
shut down if the Government imple- ments a recommendation…to abolish the Department.”
Obair’s manager, Pat Cronin, said that the organisation “has come too far to be abolished at one stroke of an economist’s pen’.
Before the official ceremony took place, Obair clients told