Press Release March 30th 2020
Galway County Council is co-ordinating local organisations to assist citizens during Covid-19
Dedicated community support helpline available at 091-509390 9.00am-6.00pm 7 days Monday to Sunday
Free phone Number is 1800 92 88 94
At The instigation of Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, Eoghan Murphy a Covid-19 Community Response Forum will be put in place for each County and will be co-ordinated by the Local Authority in each case.
A dedicated community support helpline will be established in Galway County Councilto assist at-risk members of the public in accessing non-emergency and non-medical supports and advice during the current public health emergency. The confidential phoneline service is being established by the new COVID-19 Galway Council Community Response Forum, which includes over a dozen agencies and organisations. The helpline is focused primarily on ensuring that vulnerable members of the community or those living alone can access deliveries of groceries, medicine and fuels. The role of the Forum is to ensure that there is a co-ordinated community response and to enable all voluntary statutory agencies to collaborate in support of our communities and particularly of our most vulnerable members.
Included in the COVID-19 Galway County Council Community Response Forum are:
- Galway County Council
- Health Service Executive
- An Garda Síochána
- Local Development Agencies
- Other community, voluntary and sports representatives
The new phoneline is just one aspect of the Forum’s work. Its core aim is contributing to the community-wide effort to limit the spread of COVID-19. Galway County Council through this group, will ensure that the wide variety of groups working across County Galway to assist those in need, will do so in an organised, collaborative and targeted way. The Council’s COVID-19 Community Response Forum is there to ensure the very best use of the many resources assisting vulnerable persons with their daily needs at this unprecedented time, whether that is collecting medication, food shopping, social support and contact.
Cathaoirleach Cllr. Jimmy McClearn “This public health crisis has changed life for so many, and we are there to help with that change. The role that Galway County Council will play in leading the Community response will ensure that there is a co-ordinated all County response in support of our communities and particularly of our most vulnerable members”
Chief Executive of Galway County Council Kevin Kelly explains “The response locally to date has been enormous, we have seen local groups and local development groups, An Gardai, GAA and other local businesses and many local volunteers working hard to take care of their communities. Galway County Council is ideally placed both statutorily and regionally to channel this great work and provide the governance structure in partnership with all stakeholders. Our staff whose day-jobs have changed due to this crisis, will be a key resource in the management and operation of this community support programme in collaboration with our partner agencies/groups.”
Set to come into effect from Monday 30th March, Galway County Council is providing a dedicated contact number 091-509390 or Freephone 1800 92 88 94 with the lines open from 9.00am to 6.00pm seven days per week, Monday through to Sunday, emails can be sent to [email protected].
Contact details of this new service will be promoted on the Galway County Council website and Social Media Channels. An information leaflet including the new phone number and other information will be distributed around the County particularly to vulnerable households, over the coming days.
ENDS
For all Media Queries, Contact: Eímear Dolan, 087-7987738 /091-509334 [email protected]
Economic Community and Rural Development Unit, Galway County Council.
