Kathleen Funchion: Urgent call after Waterford fires
Kathleen Funchion addresses the recent southeast Ireland fires that destroyed businesses and community facilities in Waterford City and Kilkenny, urging rapid action on announced support. She praises emergency services and calls on Irish and EU institutions to ensure funds reach affected workers and vulnerable service users without delay.
Emergency response and praise
Kathleen Funchion commends the emergency services in Waterford City and Kilkenny and the quick action of local authorities during the fires. She recognises the work of firefighters and first responders who protected lives amid large-scale destruction.
Devastation to local economy and services
Funchion outlines the immediate impact: destroyed livelihoods for businesses and workers, and severe disruption to community groups that support people with disabilities and intellectual disabilities. The speech highlights the vulnerability of those who rely on community services and the need for temporary alternatives.
Funding announced but not yet delivered
While welcoming government package announcements, she stresses the need for these funds to be actioned urgently. Workers affected are into a second week with no income or certainty, and Funchion warns this comes against a wider cost-of-living crisis.
Appeal to Irish and EU institutions
Funchion asks Irish authorities and EU institutions to do everything possible to ensure assistance is real, timely and reaches workers, community sector staff and those who depend on disability services. The emphasis is on practical, rapid measures over promises.
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Go raibh maith agat, Uachtarán. I want to raise the recent fires which we saw in the southeast of Ireland recently which destroyed the livelihoods of many in Waterford City in particular and I want to commend our emergency services particularly in Waterford City and also in Kilkenny that assisted with the fire and the local authorities that also acted very quickly. We have seen devastation though for the businesses, for those who are working in those industries and also for many community groups and those that deal with people with a disability and intellectual disabilities so I want to stress that we need to find alternative arrangements for anybody that is reliant on the community services in particular and I do understand that recent packages has been announced by the Irish government which is welcome but we do need to see these funds actioned as a matter of urgency. We're into the second week of those workers now having no income, having no certainty in terms of their their work and their livelihoods all in the backdrop of a cost-of-living crisis so any assistance has to be actual real assistance that benefits workers and particularly those in the community sector and those who are relying on the services for people with a disability and additional needs. I would just ask that the EU institutions do everything that they can
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