General Meeting
Health Services, Sustainable Development Goals, Member Registration, Elections and Ratifications were just some of the items on a packed agenda for the Autumn General Meeting of Leitrim PPN. The meeting was held at the Mayflower, Drumshanbo on Wed. 6th Nov. 2019.
Francie Gilmartin (Ballinamore MD Rep to Secretariat) welcomed the assembled members and apologies were noted. The Minutes from the March 2019 General Meeting were proposed and seconded and no matters were arising.
Update on Work Since March 2019
Resource Worker, Tracy Ferguson, provided an update on Leitrim PPN’s work since the last General Meeting.
- Forestry Policy Consultation: response pending to observations scheduled for before next SPC meeting – see motion passed, CLICK HERE;
- Waste Water Treatment research: study areas to be reviewed late Dec./early Jan to assess next stage of work;
- Leitrim Defib Mapping Project – shortlisted for award and currently replicated by at least four other counties.
Suggested action: Explore potential for listing mapped defibrillators on Satellite Navigation systems should and implement if possible. For action.
The re-registration of Leitrim PPN Members was a large component of the work of late Summer/early Autumn this year. It was required to ensure correct contacts with member groups and Tracy asked groups to consider the importance of having a group or club contact rather than personal details. this means the contact stays the same and goes with the role rather than the person; loss of contact is less likely. She also asked groups to review the registration to make sure member groups are in the right pillar and that the contact person is active. These details become very important on a night where voting is involved. For more CLICK HERE.
PPNs across Ireland have or are completing their Vision for Community Wellbeing (VCW). plans. Tracy highlighted their significance as a benchmark and aims document and how they can feed into the local authority’s Local Economic and Community Plans. This linked perfectly with the next item on Sustainable Development Goals.
Sustainable Development Goals
Caitriona Rogerson of the Irish Environmental Network presented members with an understanding of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that Ireland signed up to achieve by 2030. This was supported by reasons and easy ways for PPN member groups to embrace and manifest the goals in their day to day work. Increasingly, the SDGs are a benchmark for funding applications and Caitriona assured the members that their work reflects the goals already. The presentation and SDG Communications pack are available on this website in our Useful Documents Section – CLICK HERE for SDG content
Representation
A number of representative vacancies were filled on the night. Members had nominated representatives to many committees and elections took place for representatives within the Environmental and Social Inclusion Pillars.
The following candidates were ratified to represent Leitrim PPN
Strategic Policy Committees:
- Planning, Economic Development and Infrastructure; Seán Ó’Conláin, (Environment) and Sean Wynne (Social Inclusion);
- Housing, Community & Culture; Maura Gallagher, (Social inclusion)
- Environment, Climate Action and Agriculture; Jan Melia (Environment).
Joint Policing Committee: Kathleen Flanagan, Breege Grimes, Osazuwa Peter-Olabiyi and Janie Raine Conick.
Local Community Development Committee: Bea Cullen
Leitrim County Childcare Committee: Caroll O’Brien
Leitrim County Enterprise Fund: Conor Maguire
LEADER Evaluation Committee (Youth): Brigid Stenson
Thanks were extended to all previous reps and everyone that participated in this process.
Representative Feedback
Aedin McLoughlin provided an update on the work of the Local Community Development Committee and reiterated the relevance of SDGs and the VCW to the Local Economic and Community Plan (LECP). The members endorsed plans to review the plan and highlight ares of improvement through Leitrim PPN. To view the plan – CLICK HERE.
Statement of the Members of Leitrim PPN.
Secretariat Member, Francie Gilmartin highlighted specific concerns relating to health supports . These were returned to throughout the evening and the general membership discussed, contributed and endorsed the following statement:
“The General Members of Leitrim PPN wish to highlight the grave inadequacy of mental health services for people in crisis in Leitrim and beyond. A person with a physical ailment is clear on where they are to go and will receive quick prioritisation of their illness and a clear understanding of when and how they might be treated. This is not the case for mental health difficulties where any delay in providing help can be fatal. We are especially critical of the inadequacy of out of hours services for people and families finding themselves with a mental health crisis.
Furthermore, we are against the decision to close the Cuisle Centre in Co. Roscommon. Cuisle provides a fundamental service to clients and families in the North West Region. We call on the Irish Wheelchair Association and the Irish government and relevant agencies to do whatever is necessary to keep it open. ”
Leitrim PPN is to follow this statement with correspondence to relevant organisations and bodies.
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