Opening of the new extension to Muirhevnamor Community Centre

LOUtH COUntY COUnCiL welcomed the launch of the new extension to Muirhevnamor Community centre on thursday, June 1st.

the project has been supported by the european Union’s PeACe iv Programme, managed by the Special european Programmes Body (SeUPB) and supported locally by Louth County Council and Louth Local Community Development Committee (LCDC). Match-funding has been provided by The Executive Office in Northern Ireland and the Department for rural and Community Development in ireland.

the 2200 square foot extension, constructed by Hillside Contracts Ltd and costing half a million euros, will provide a shared space for the ongoing work by Muirhevnamor Community Council.

the centre provides training courses for lifelong learning, youth leadership programmes, drug and alcohol rehabilitation meetings as well as acting as a hub and social meeting place for the local and wider community.

Speakers at the launch event included Chief executive of Louth County Council Joan Martin, Cathaoirleach of Dundalk Municipal District Councillor Kevin Meenan and Director of Muirhevnamor Community Centre Jim O’neill.

Speaking at the opening, Chief executive Joan Martin spoke about the importance of the eU Peace programmes and their role in building a more integrated, peaceful society, saying: “the facility provided by this extension will allow Muirhevnamor Community Centre to be a focal point for cross community engagement and be of great benefit to the people of Dundalk and the region. It is a beautiful shared space that will be at the heart of reconciliation between our communities.” the event was followed by a reception inside the new shared space in the centre. it is envisaged that this extension to the community centre will act as a cross community and cross-border shared space, providing a significant public amenity for the people of Dundalk and facilitating further reconciliation between the communities on this island.

LOCAL FIAnnA

FáIL Senator, erin McGreehan, supports calls for schools and parents across the country to follow the lead of a group of Wicklow parents who made a pact - while their children were in primary school, there would be no mobile phones.

Senator McGreehan said, “This initiative by a group of parents in Greystones is to be commended and I believe, as do my party colleagues, that we should look at some form of this approach nationally in terms of safeguarding youth mental health.

“As a parent of children who are already asking for mobile phones, I am feeling the pressure. However, with collective action and teenagers by certain types of mobile phone use, social media use and internet content. Children and teenagers can be exposed to content that is damaging their mental health and often parents can be left feeling powerless.

McGreehan supports calls to introduce a mobile phone ban in schools to safeguard youth mental health parents and schools could be supported to delay the use of mobile phones. I do think that this is something the Department of education should consider in the immediate future with a view to initiating this policy nationally.

“There are undoubtedly some positives to smartphones and social media but anyone who spends time on certain social media platforms knows how toxic they can be.

“More and more reports are being published on the damage being done to children

“I understand that the feedback has been positive from the schools, parents and surprisingly the students in Wicklow where a mobile phone ban on school grounds has been implemented. i would urge all principals across Louthr, both in our primary and secondary schools, to reach out to parents to suggest a similar approach.

“We have extensive child protections in place in so many areas of our society and we’re now beginning to do it in the digital space. the new Media Commission was established in recent months and our first Online safety Commissioner, niamh Hodnett, has rightly decided to target the online risks to youth mental health.

“We must make it easier for parents to limit the content their children are exposed to and social media companies undoubtedly have a vital role to play. it is my priority and the priority of Fianna Fáil in Government to continue to explore ways to improve supports and ensure that children and young people are not targeted and are not harmed by their interactions with the digital world.’’