Disabled adults from three Co Galway families are benefiting from the newly-opened £172,000 Brothers of Charity house in Athenry. It provides full-time residential care in Lambert Court, a new private estate on the edge of the town.
The Brothers of Charity already run the John Paul Complex at Ballybane, Galway, which has been providing residential, daycare and respite services for people with learning disabilities since 1980.
The house in Athenry is the first purpose-built house outside Galway city. There two other houses, although not purpose-built, are helping to integrate disabled adults into their communities.
The programme manager at the John Paul Complex, Ms Joan McNulty, says the emphasis now is on providing accommodation in the community, and there will be more of these houses in the years ahead. Such houses free up respite places for other children and young adults at the Galway Complex, where there are currently 71 residents and 16 daycare attendants.
She pays tribute to the Parents and Friends Association, which was formed 20 years ago to help the Brothers of Charity provide better services for children in their care. Its aim then was to raise funds for the swimming pool at the John Paul Complex. After that goal was reached parents raised funds for specialised housing and care for their disabled children, and have built the three houses. Ms Emily O'Connor, from Athenry, joined the association to raise funds in 1980. Her son, Paul (21), was seven when he first went to the John Paul Complex. He is now one of five young adults enjoying a more independent lifestyle in his Athenry home, just a mile from his parents.
"It's a home away from home for Paul, and I've never seen him so happy and settled. I also know that if anything happens to me or Brendan, my husband, Paul will be taken care of," she said.
Speaking at the official opening, Archbishop Neary congratulated the association for its ongoing support for the John Paul Complex. He said tremendous changes had taken place in Irish society in the last decade which enabled these houses to be located now in the community. "It's an indication of a great maturity on the part of Irish society," he said.