Date: 7 December 2020
Green Party TD for Wicklow, Steven Matthews has welcomed the news that 71 Wicklow clubs will receive support through the funding announced by his party Colleague, Minister Joe O’Brien under the COVID-19 Emergency Fund. Discussing the news, Deputy Matthews said:
“The announcement by Minister Joe O’Brien this week was extremely welcome. I was particularly delighted to see that 71 clubs from across Wicklow were awarded funding through Wicklow County Council. The funding being allocated under the COVID-19 Emergency Fund will be used to assist local community and voluntary groups to adapt to Covid-19, for example:
• To allow them to make changes to premises to provide for social distancing
• Funding for on-line activities;
• As well as the provision of critical social supports.
“I am contacted on a daily basis by members of groups and clubs across Wicklow including managers, parents and volunteers to discuss the hugely damaging impact that the pandemic has had on their club. This hit particularly hard under level 5 restrictions which reduced their activity even further.
“One of the few positives that have emerged from this pandemic is that it has brought the term ‘Community’ to the fore. Our community and voluntary groups have played a crucial role during this Pandemic and it’s so important that we support them. We have all seen the extraordinary lengths that clubs and groups have gone to in light of this pandemic and I hope that this funding will assist them in their efforts.
“I hope that if the current restrictions are to be successful and the measures can be eased further, we can see a return to more in person community activities which will have huge benefits for people, particularly who have seen their social circles limited so much this year”, concluded Deputy Matthews.
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