Family Support
“What do you want me to do with that?”
Client feedback prompted food bank recipe videos
Family Support
SOLUTIONS – Des North says revisit policies and provide more respite
“Decongregation makes a lot of sense, but it needs to be looked at again.”
Family Support
MOTIVATION – Reluctant campaigner Tony Murray tells his family’s story
Tony Murray and his wife Susan are the parents of Aoife (42) whose future they fear for. Around October last year, Tony set up a campaign group called ‘Before We Die’. He and fellow members have since met the Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Minister Norma Foley and many politicians. Minister Foley acknowledged the group’s work “advocating for increases in the provision of residential services for people with disabilities”. Here Tony tells his story:
Family Support
ANALYSIS – Who wants change “before they die”?
• An estimated 20,000 families in Ireland caring for adults with intellectual disabilities face a crisis. There is no state plan for when the parents die.
• Opening more respite housing would ease the pressure.
• Easing overly strict regulations would help service providers to expand capacity.
• It may be time to revisit policies related to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
Family Support
COMMITTED – Taoiseach to act on issues raised by ‘Before We Die’
The Taoiseach Micheál Martin committed in February to act on issues raised by 'Before We Die' campaigners.
Family Support
Co-op model is “a good fit” to really care for our older people
It is time to ask about how caring Ireland really is. Ireland's population cohort aged 80+ is projected to quadruple to over half a million people by the middle of this century, creating a growing need for home care services.
Family Support
Solas community worker Craig O’Brien is fighting for change in D8
Craig O’Brien, a professional boxer with an Irish title who has been on a Katie Taylor undercard at the 3 Arena and would be familiar to Sky Sports viewers, now works with the Solas Project in Dublin 8. In his 30s and an educated and successful man, the North Inner City native is in a different place to his early twenties when he spent time in prison and grappled with addiction.
Family Support
The invisible work keeping families together – by AA Lee
Alice Ann Lee is employed by an organisation called Families First / Archways which is focused on early intervention, empowerment, and keeping families together and connected to their communities.
The project is funded primarily by the Department of Justice.
She tells the project's story here.
Family Support
Film producers seek couples for A Ring and a Prayer on RTE
So, what happens when couples from different cultures and faith traditions decide to get married?
Esras Films is looking at exactly that for the second series of its show A Ring and a Prayer due to be filmed this year and broadcast in 2026. Currently, it is appealing for couples, at least one of whom is not Irish, to come forward. They must be planning their wedding ceremony for this year.
Family Support
Moyross lovingly remembers those who died as children
Moyross is unusual in having a Marian Shrine dedicated to remembering local children who are deceased and on Monday close to a hundred people gathered at the shrine to light candles and remember each and every one of them.
People wept as the names of at least 50 children and young people were read out.
