There was a “real danger” that marginalised areas, such as Ballyfermot, Dublin could go back to “bad old days of the ’80s of endemic poverty and no local services”, a community activist in the suburb said today.
Gerry Royal, manager of the Ballyfermot Community Centre, was speaking at an event in the village billed as the beginning of an “intensive fightback” against cuts to community services.
He said the prospect of returning to the “bad old days” was “quite honestly terrifying”.
“The demand for services, like drug rehab, breakfast clubs, meals on wheels, have all increased, but funding has decreased by up to 40 per cent in some cases.”
Among those worst affected by funding cuts in the past four years, he said were, family support services, drug rehabilitation services, after-school projects, youth projects, meals-on-wheels and Traveller support organisation.
About 200 people paraded through the village as part of their SOS - Save Our Services - campaign and stalls were set up for the day in the civic centre by about 20 of the local community groups affected by cuts.
The Bungalow, a family resource centre in Cherry Orchard, had had a five per cent cut last year and faced a 15 per cent further cut in funding, said co-ordinator, Marie Delaney. “We are really worried in particular about our counselling service. We offer mainly relationship and bereavement counselling. Losing it would be a real blow.”
Lorraine McMahon, of the Ballyfermot Travellers Action Project, said the group had had a 13 per cent funding cut. “We are over stretched and I am worried because we are the only organisation in Ballyfermot specifically supporting Travellers on accommodation issues, access services.”
Local People Before Profit TD, Joan Collins and PBP councillor Bríd Smith attended.
