Irish athletics coach Patsy McGonagle.
LEADING Donegal athletics coach and Ireland manager Patsy McGonagle has today urged voters to put their communities first in the general election.
Mr McGonagle spoke out for the need of government to support the countless community and sporting groups who contribute so much to society in Donegal.
He warned: “We can’t do it alone.”
“Community groups are a positive and necessary part of society,” said the Finn Valley man.
“As we enter a period in which politicians are seeking your support can we in the Finn Valley Centre ask you to consider highlighting the community sector and the needs of same.
“We as a community sector can’t do it alone. We need help to ensure the policymakers understand and support us.
“These are challenging times with significant changes in how organisations are funded indeed how their vital contribution is, and, will be understood.
“The varied community groups, sporting, youth, elderly and local grassroots organisations etc. in Donegal are a vibrant, positive and necessary part of the fabric of this society and perform a vital function in communities. Politicians need a timely reminded of this fact.”
In a charter for the election the Finn Valley Centres is urging voters to raise awareness in conjunction with The Wheel, (national representative body), to underline to the incoming government the importance of the following;
• respect community and voluntary activity as a central part of Irish life;
• appoint a minister for community and voluntary activity;
• develop a strategy to support the community and voluntary sector;
• produce a funding plan (and where appropriate, a commissioning plan) to enable the sector to thrive; and
• ensure regulation supports the sector.
Added Patsy: We believe that a strong community sector is vital to ensuring that Donegal, as a county can build on the foundations, and work done, by groups at grassroots level, and, that this work should be supported by the incoming government.”
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