Finglas residents march over cuts

A group of Finglas residents marched through the Dublin suburb today to voice their opposition to cuts in funding for local youth…

A group of Finglas residents marched through the Dublin suburb today to voice their opposition to cuts in funding for local youth services.

Organised jointly by the Finglas Youth Resources Centre and the Finglas Youth Service the march was led by a skeleton statue meant to symbolise the "bare bones" of funding which the centres say they have been forced to rely on.

"In the last few years we've been cut and we've been cut again" said Gareth Smith, manager of the Finglas Youth Service.

Following the march, the roughly 65 protesters gathered outside the Finglas Youth Service Centre where some teenagers who use the centre performed.

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"It means a lot to the young people and what I would ask you to do is make sure that the young people are on the political agenda" Mr Smith told the crowd.

One of the performers Nathan Sherry (18), who goes by the stage name of 'Ink', said that he had been using the centre since it opened in 2004 and despite being from Coolock, now spends most of his time in Finglas.

Darren Kirwan (20) is from Finglas and he spoke about how much the centre had meant to him since it opened.

"If I hadn't the youth centre I'd just be out there causing trouble. I come in every few days, at least once a week. I play football and I help out with the kids" he said.

Youth worker Mick McCullagh said that he hoped the day of activity would be seen as a celebration more than a protest.

"It raises awareness that services like this are happening here" he said.