West Tyrone Sinn Fein Sinn Féin -- Building an Ireland of Equals

McAleer relieved as proposed merger plans shelved.

Published: 9 March, 2010

Sinn Féin mid Tyrone councillor Declan McAleer has said he is relieved that plans to merger 15 volunteer centres throughout the north have been shelved. The proposal would have affected Omagh volunteer centre, based in Omaghs community house.

The announcement that the proposals have been shelved has been revealed after minister Margaret Ritchie agreed to roll out the current funding forward until March 2011.

Speaking on the issue councillor Delcan McAleer said:

"I welcome the announcement that the funding will continue for these volunteer centre. These centres play a pivotal role in the local community and local society. If this proposal had of been implemented it would have seen these services centralised in Belfast, and out of the reach of local people. The centres would have lost their localized knowledge and local support base. Should the proposal have been implemented it would have seen a total detachment from the community and the unraveling of good work which has been carried out to date on the ground in the local area.

"The local MP Pat Doherty was also of the view that this would have a detrimental effect on Omagh and had written to Minister Richie to discuss the implications of such a move. Thankfully the issue has been resolved, albeit for the next year. In this time we must work collectively to ensure that these local services remain locally based and not centralised in Belfast and detached from much of their support base west of the Bann.CRÍOCH