Galway Rural Development

Damien Quinn always wanted to work in community development. And now he does, but it was a long journey, with many unnecessary barriers.  He says there has to be a cut off point for people who have served time, himself included. Now he is campaigning through a project he began in UCC - Spéire Nua - which wants to recognise ex-prisoners who have reformed.

Major reforms to Community Employment (CE), Tús and the Rural Social Scheme (RSS) have been widely welcomed, with one public representative saying he had seen "grown men crying" when they had to leave schemes.