Harkin asks Taoiseach to support funding for Leitrim Community Driving Scheme
Sligo-Leitrim TD, Marian Harkin, has asked the Taoiseach in the Dail to lend his support to the Leitrim Community Driving Scheme noting the Leitrim Volunteer Centre is seeking funding for the service.
“I wish to highlight the great work being done by Leitrim Volunteer Centre in providing a community car scheme to assist isolated and vulnerable people to attend hospital appointments, to go to the pharmacy and or to pick up shopping,” Deputy Harkin told the Taoiseach. “In fact, about 90% of all these trips are hospital appointments. The scheme has become a go-to support system for the HSE with referrals from public health nurses and other health officials. The centre gets no funding of any kind. Could the Taoiseach bring this to the attention of the Minister for Rural and Community Development, Deputy Humphreys, and the HSE to see if any support could be provided?" she asked in the Dáil.
The Taoiseach described the community car scheme as very commendable and suggested there is a variety of localised funding from the Department of Rural and Community Development that ‘people could tap into’. He promised to follow up with both ministers to see what can be done speedily and quickly.
Speaking after the Dáil sitting, Deputy Harkin said the Community Driving Scheme provides a vital service to people without access to a car. “These people are often vulnerable and isolated and end up missing out on important medical appointments. A 2015 study by the IGEES showed that a lack of transport was a major contributory factor in patients not attending medical appointments. This ultimately ends up costing the HSE and the state money in delayed diagnosis and treatment,” she said.
“An investment in this initiative would not only have the effect of improving the quality of people’s lives, but it will also save the state money. The Leitrim Volunteer Centre estimates it will cost about €50,000 per annum to put the scheme on a more sustainable footing. This year the centre has raised €30,000 for it. They are not looking for an enormous amount and surely, between the HSE and the Department of Rural and Community Development they could find an appropriate funding mechanism among their myriad of schemes. The Community Driving Scheme is a perfect fit for what they are trying to do."