REMARKS BY PRESIDENT MARY McALEESE DURING HER VISIT TO THE SLIGO FAMILY CENTRE
REMARKS BY PRESIDENT MARY McALEESE DURING HER VISIT TO THE SLIGO FAMILY CENTRE AT 12 STEPHEN STREET, SLIGO ON TUESDAY 26 MAY
I am particularly pleased that you have invited me to be with you this morning to see your Family Support Centre here in Stephen Street – which is a true community facility – catering for both adults and children – and for the opportunity to see and hear about your very valuable work in providing family support services – through such services as the Toy Library – the Parent and Toddler Group – the parenting of teenagers group – the different workshops which you organise – and the very successful “Family Link” service.
Your work for families – and your plans to develop your services for the wider community – embracing those in the urban and rural community who are marginalised – is bringing a more enhanced quality of life to those who avail of the services which you provide. In the process you are building a stronger community – a community that can meet new challenges and grasp new opportunities that they face in the years and decades ahead.
Projects such as this are never easy to complete but perseverance pays off. It is – I think - a sign of a healthy community – where people are prepared to row in - to lend their support and energy for the good of all - where they can pool their resources to work for each other. It involves commitment, dedication and hard work – in involves new partnerships and linkages between the people of the community and between the community and outside help. This is what community partnerships are about. All over Ireland, communities are using the partnership model to focus energy and resources on improving their lives. The Family Centre is a great resource for the people of Sligo – a community that is growing – a community that has taken a keen interest in how it will develop – and what it will need as it develops.
In the short life of the Centre you have achieved a lot. Your plans to improve the services – to embrace many others who may be isolated or marginalised – are a reflection of how you have developed thus far – in responding to perceived needs – and in changing to meet changed circumstances.
That ability to change and adapt is the key to your future success. For change is the only real constant – and the pace of change is growing faster and faster as the country develops. I have no doubt that this will be a living, vibrant centre long into the future – a credit to the energy and generosity of you, the community of Sligo who have done an excellent job. I would like also to pay tribute to the many people and agencies who assisted in the development of the Centre – like FÁS - the North Western Health Board – the Department of Social and Family Affairs – the International Year of the Family Group – the Programme for Peace and Reconciliation – and the Sligo LEADER Partnership.
I wish you all congratulations and every success with the centre, and I have no doubt that as the focal point where families can get the support that is so essential in today’s society. It will prove to be an invaluable asset to the community – and the inspiration to many people in the area to reach out for new goals and to work with renewed confidence for their own community. I giving you the much deserved recognition for your tremendous work with and for families – I want to wish you well as you continue to expand your services – to grandparents and parents-in-law – and those who are isolated by virtue of economic circumstances or location.