REMARKS BY PRESIDENT McALEESE AT THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FORUM RECEPTION ÁRAS AN UACHTARÁIN
REMARKS BY PRESIDENT McALEESE AT THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FORUM RECEPTION ÁRAS AN UACHTARÁIN, WEDNESDAY, 9TH NOVEMBER, 2005
Is cúis mhór áthais dom fáilte a chur romhaibh go léir chuig Áras an Uachtaráin inniu.
Good afternoon, everybody.
Martin and I are very happy to have this opportunity to welcome you all here to Áras an Uachtaráin today to acknowledge your extraordinary level of individual and community achievement throughout this country.
That sense of community spirit is not new to Ireland. We come from a tradition – not so far back – when few people had very much, and the ethos of neighbour helping neighbour was as much of a necessity as it was a choice. We sometimes think of community as being something that happens in the countryside and has nothing to do with towns and cities. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, in an important sense, no one lives in a city, we all live in neighbourhoods and none of us wants to drift through life as strangers to all we meet, unrecognised, uncared for and uncaring. What is more without community we never know the strength, the progress, the comfort that comes from the sheer force of a focussed and sustained amalgam of talents all used for the common good, all used to build up the individual as well as the collective. That is where you come in, because things do not have to be like that. You can make a difference. You have made a difference. The initiatives you have taken have changed, and will continue to change your communities for the better.
There is always a danger of painting an overly rosy picture of the past. But it is important in these days of prosperity, that we don’t lose sight of the values and community ties which sustain us when times are tough. In times of affluence, it’s easier to cut loose from the bonds of community, and from the responsibilities which those bonds of community bring with them. It makes it easier for us to close our eyes to the disadvantage and despair that can and does exist just a few streets away. It carries with it the dangers of growing a gap between the centre and the margins, those who seem to be centre stage and those who feel they are spectators at life, looking on from the sidelines at the opportunities which others enjoy and which seem destined to be forever denied to them.
The uncoupling of the ‘haves’ from the ‘have nots’ would not only be unjust, it would be damaging to our society as a whole. Economically and socially, we need the talents and energy of all our people at work. We need all of them to have the education, skills and above all, the self-confidence to make the most of the talents they undoubtedly possess.
That spirit of independence and empowerment, which is now evident in communities throughout the country, owes a very great deal to the tremendous support and assistance, which FÁS has provided down through the years. FÁS truly has been one of the lynchpins of that success – providing the training, developing the skills and fostering the self-belief that have enabled communities to turn their vision into a reality. The Community organisations which are working with FÁS have gained valuable work experience which have helped many to find employment or go on to further education.
I would like to compliment your Chairman, Patrick Lynch, the Director General, John Lynch, and all of the staff of FÁS, on their hard work and commitment at grass-roots level, the level that really counts. Your continuing work in co-operation with local community organisations to bring projects to fruition has meant that many neighbourhoods now have a much greater sense of community than before. Your work really has made a difference.
Most importantly, I would like to congratulate all of the members of the organisations represented here today, and all of the community organisations that have participated with FÁS on its many initiatives. You are the ones who refuse to just stand on the sidelines discussing what someone else should do. You are the ‘doers’ who make things happen, and we owe you our heartfelt thanks for your dedication and community spirit.
This is my opportunity to thank you for all the hard work, and for the hard reflection and deliberation that went into today’s presentations. You have provided a great deal of food for thought well into the future.
Martin and I hope that your visit here today will be an enjoyable one, and that you will take the opportunity to relax in each other’s company and exchange a story or two.
I would like to thank our entertainers, the wonderful string quartet from the National Youth Orchestra, our friends from Civil Defence for their expert assistance and the staff here at the Áras who work hard to make days like this enjoyable for everyone.
Go raibh maith agaibh go léir.