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ADDRESS BY PRESIDENT MARY McALEESE ON THE OCCASION OF HER VISIT TO THE COMMUNITY CENTRE IN ARDFERT

ADDRESS BY PRESIDENT MARY McALEESE ON THE OCCASION OF HER VISIT TO THE COMMUNITY CENTRE IN ARDFERT CO. KERRY ON TUESDAY 5 MAY,

I am particularly pleased that you have invited me to be with you this morning to see your new Community Centre here in Ardfert – which was only recently opened – and for which you already have plans to carry out improvements. It is a true community facility – catering for all age groups – from the very young in the Creche facility - to the elderly of the community – with your laundry facility and the two Home Maintenance Workers.

Your work for women at home – through your women’s course coordinator – is allowing women in the community who – through family commitments and circumstances – have been away from the learning environment – to re-establish that connection with education – and to open up new horizons – that will give them a better quality of life – and a much broader perspective on themselves and their community. with your innovative laundry facility to cater for their particular needs.

It is a place for all of the people in the area where you can meet as a community. And projects such as this are never easy to complete but perseverance pays off. It is – I think - a sign of a healthy community – where people are prepared to row in - to lend their support and energy for the good of all - where they can pool their resources to work for each other. Embarking on a project such as this involves commitment, dedication and hard work – in involves new partnerships and linkages between the people of the community and between the community and outside help.

This is what community partnerships are all about. All over Ireland, communities are using the partnership model to focus energy and resources on improving their areas – in making them places of which they can be proud. This is a great achievement for the people of Ardfert – a community that is growing – a community that has taken a keen interest in how it will develop – and what it will need as it develops.

This newly extended centre is the result of a lot of time, effort and commitment on the part of a lot of people. I have no doubt that this will be a living, vibrant centre long into the future – a credit to the energy and generosity of you, the community of Ardfert. The Community Council have done an excellent job. I would like also to pay tribute to the people of the area who assisted the Council in their work.

I wish you all congratulations and every success with the centre, and I have no doubt that as the focal point where people can meet and interact - it will prove to be an invaluable asset to the community – and the inspiration to many people in the area to reach out for new goals and to work with renewed confidence for their own community.

ENDS