The Buncrana-based i.C.A.R.E. centre has been granted much-needed funding from the HSE to keep its services running for 2018.
It has been announced this week that the i.C.A.R.E. (Inishowen Childrens Autism Related Education) organisation will receive €35,000 from the HSE for their voluntary disability services.
i.C.A.R.E. has been operating for 18 years, providing support and respite to families of children with autism. Up to 100 young people rely on the services which are parent-led and reliant on donations and council funding.
This week’s funding allocation announcement has been much-welcomed by the i.C.A.R.E. committee. In greeting the news, they said: “iCARE are very happy that the government have stepped in and gave us funding for the remainder of 2018. This is great news and welcomed by all at iCARE and Sonas Youth Club.
“We would also like to congratulate our colleagues at the Bluestack Special Needs Foundation on their well deserved grant.
“We would hope that this will lead to both organizations receiving secured funding for 2019 and beyond to carry out the great work we do.
“Thanks to everyone who helped us secure this funding.”
It was announced yesterday that the Bluestack Special Needs Foundation in Donegal Town was allocated €36,000 in grant aid from the HSE for special needs support in the South Donegal region.
iCARE has been battling to remain open this year after funding ran dangerously low. There was much controversy over the allocation of ‘Ability’ funding by Pobal in June, when it emerged that no community group north of a Dublin-Galway line would be receiving funds.
The Bluestack Special Needs Foundation, iCARE (Inishowen Children’s Autism Related Education Limited) and Extern had all jointly submitted a funding application for the Ability project, which was turned down.
Commenting today on the HSE grant aid, Minister of State for Disabilities Finian McGrath said he was delighted to have secured funding for both i.C.A.R.E. and The Bluestack Foundation ‘to allow them to carry out their excellent work in assisting young people with disabilities in the Donegal region’.