Young people ‘need to be given their best chance’ says Mary Lou during Tullamore visit
The leader of Sinn Féin told a group of adult learners at the National Learning Network in Tullamore this week that young people need to be given "their best chance" to achieve their potential.
Mary Lou McDonald made her remarks on a tour of the Offaly educational facility on Wednesday afternoon, which was organised by local Sinn Féin councillor Aoife Masterson, to highlight the long waiting lists for assessments and services for young people in the county who face a range of challenges.
Cllr Masterson said Offaly is "one of the worst places" to be a young person, or any person, in need of an assessment or waiting to avail of one of the services.
"The figures for Offaly are just off the charts, we are one of the worst in 30% of all the services for primary care, so it is particularly bad and it's something I see time and time again in my constituency office."
Cllr Masterson and her Birr-based council colleague, Sean Maher, accompanied Mary Lou McDonald on her tour of the National Learning Network facility in the Tanyard, where Centre Manager Ruairi Powell outlined the challenges facing the service and highlighted the numerous courses on offer for students.
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Nuala Hanlon, Secretary, National Learning Network (NLN), and Ruairí Powell, NLN Manager, with President of Sinn Féin Mary Lou McDonald, Cllr Aoife Masterson and Cllr Sean Maher on their visit to the NLN Tullamore Centre on Wednesday of this week. Ger RogersImage 2 of 4
Amy Carey shows her book ‘The Adventures of the Wolf Chiefs’ to President of Sinn Féin Mary Lou McDonald and Cllr Aoife Masterson when they visited the National Learning Network Centre in Tullamore on Wednesday. Ger RogersImage 3 of 4
Pictured in Tullamore National Learning Network centre’s gardens were, standing, L-R, Ethan, Jack, Sharon Melsopp, Drew, Kahalin, Cllr Sean Maher, Cllr Aoife Masterson, Amy Carey, Matheus Felicio, Jason and Nuala Flanagan with, seated, Pauline Powell, Ruairi Powell and president of Sinn Féin, Mary Lou McDonald. Ger RogersImage 4 of 4
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald and Will Stafford, Instructor of Skills For Work, at the National Learning Network Centre, Tullamore, on Wednesday. Ger RogersDuring a 'question and answer' session with the Sinn Féin leader, one of the students raised the issue of people who have been diagnosed with autism being forced to appeal to the Department on a continual basis before they receive their disability payment.
"It is a great struggle to go into the process (of getting a diagnosis) in the first place, but then to be be denied and denied again, I just don't understand it," said the student, who pointed out that she was currently waiting on an assessment.
Mary Lou McDonald responded by saying "the attitude and the culture needs to change" irrespective of whether people with additional needs were trying to access supports in the short or long-term.
"The system should enable people to access the supports they need to live better lives rather than throwing up roadblocks," she said.
Along with there being "a question of resources" the Sinn Féin leader said the difficulties people in Offaly, and across the country, were having in being able to access the necessary supports show there is also an issue around "attitude and mindset, and about how to think about each other".
She added that young people need to be given "their best chance" to achieve their potential in every walk of life and praised the work of those involved in the local branch of the National Learning Network in that regard.
The National Learning Network in Tullamore provides a range of free courses to people who have had an accident, illness, injury or have a disability and extra support needs.
Courses are tailored to each student’s needs, to help them to build their confidence while getting practical job-seeking skills to help them get a job or go on to further training.