Job losses at resource centre

CAHERSIVEEN Community Resource Centre will no longer receive funding from Pobal resulting in a loss of six jobs and a reconfiguration of what is an extremely popular public amenity.

The news came as a shock to locals when announced on Wednesday by the board of management who cited staff wages and in-house financial difficulties as the main reasons for the change.

The Chairman of Cahersiveen Community Resource Centre, Alan Landers, said the decision means a break with Pobal after 14 years of financial support.

A statement from Pobal confirmed that Cahersiveen Community Resource Centre was offered a new contract under the Community Services Programme - which Pobal manage on behalf of the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection. However, Mr Landers said the centre’s accounts were in such a ‘bad way’ that Pobal’s offer of 3 years funding would not make the centre financially better off.

Mr Landers maintains that Pobal was not prepared to meet the rising rates associated with the minimum wage, which the centre subsidised through its own funds. He added it’s now up to the community to rally and keep the centre open using its own initiative.

“An additional rise in the minimum wage in 2018 means an extra €6,000 in costs which we can’t afford. We had been funding staff wages from our own resources to help bring them up to minimum wage standard but we can no longer do this,” Mr Landers added.

Meanwhile, Catherine Cournane is the manager of Cahersiveen Community Resource Centre and she said the facility was more than just a community centre but a place where people could walk in, meet staff and chat.

“This is what communities need in the future as we cannot leave rural areas lose this important aspect of life. I hope and trust that the community will work together in continuing to provide the Cahersiveen community with a centre for many years to come,” Catherine added.