Disability Services
Seanad Éireann — 2026-05-28
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Nessa Cosgrove (LAB), Labour Panel

I thank the Minister of State for the response. It is disappointing to hear that the role has not been prioritised. Is it because we have such a wonderful MS therapy centre in the north west? It is fantastic. It is an amazing centre. It is a very different role from that of the community worker. Not only is the community worker's role about signposting and looking at resources; a community worker is also in charge of fundraising. The north west - Sligo and Leitrim - is missing out on significant funding. This weekend in particular there will be loads of fundraising activities happening all across the country, but because we do not have a community worker in Sligo we are going to miss out on that. It is a double whammy. I reiterate the importance of the community worker's role. I accept there is a physical and sensory disability team and the MS therapy centre but they are very different roles. I wonder if the Minister of State could do anything at all to push it up. It was very evident in the presentation in the audiovisual room yesterday how much of a disadvantage we are at in Sligo and Leitrim by not having someone in this role.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-05-28/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:55:01+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-05-28