merrion street

The Minister of State with special responsibility for Disabilities, Finian McGrath TD, today officially opened the new premises of the Kerry Branch of Down Syndrome Ireland in Tralee.

The Minister said, “Through dedication of its committee, the Kerry Branch of Down Syndrome Ireland is a vibrant organisation which provides support to over 260 members and their families throughout Kerry, providing vital services such as speech and language therapy and occupational therapy to all service users in various locations throughout the county”.

The new premises will enable Down Syndrome Ireland to provide group courses, meetings, parent and toddler groups and youth groups and will become the hub for administration throughout the whole of Kerry. The Minister said that “associations such as Down Syndrome Ireland work tirelessly to support people with a disability to realise their full potential, enabling them to fulfil their hopes and ambitions”. The Minister said that the Government will continue to improve services and increase supports for people with disabilities and pointed out that “innovative community projects such as the one in Tralee allow people with a disability to live independent lives, exercise greater independence in accessing the services they choose, and enhance their ability to meet their needs and plan their lives”.

“The great work put in by the Kerry Branch of Down Syndrome Ireland in opening their new premises,"the Minister said, "is an example of our shared vision that people with disabilities are supported in maximising their potential, and that barriers to their access to services, education, employment or healthcare are removed.”