Some 50 odd groups across County Tipperary have been granted what are being whispered as funding, worthy of the Charles Dickens character ‘Ebenezer Scrooge,’ in the government’s efforts to encourage older people to be more active.
As part of the ‘Go for Life‘ grants scheme, being implemented by the present government, just €15,000 has been allocated to be divided up between 50 older active groups in North and South Tipperary.
Two groups in Thurles, namely Thurles ARA and Thurles ICA are to receive just €270 each.
Thurles town’s near neighbour Cashel will receive €260 each for two community groups; namely Cashel and District ARA and Cashel Day Care Centre, while to the north the neighbouring town of Templemore ARA group will received also a mere €270.
Groups in Clonmel, Roscrea, Tipperary Town and Nenagh are also to receive similar sums of funding.
When divided up, one wonders which shop will benefit most from this massive injection of public capital, but on the other hand I suppose one should be grateful, certainly no currently elected representative in Tipperary can be accused of attempting to ‘rig’ the European and Local Elections, to be held next year.
Still, I suppose when organisations in this country are permitted to steal hard won charity donated funding, intended for the mouths of children with disabilities, allowing same instead to be used to top-up the demanded pay of worthy executive types, (We won’t mention government special advisers, same paid thousands of Euro over agreed terms and conditions.) these elderly people should be on their knees thanking God that they get even one crumb, which occasionally falls from this State’s well protected cake stand.
In the words of Charles Dickens; “No space of regret can make amends for one life’s opportunity misused.” (Extract from ‘A Christmas Carol.’)
George. Is this for real? The Irish Government throw thousands of Irish Tax payers hard earned euro’s into Australia associations every year. Australia is a wealthy country and the Irish Government has no business using the Irish Tax payers money in this way. The Irish associations have been going for years without any help from the Irish Government. And that is the way it must be.
The Irish government surely knows the meaning of the good old saying which the Aussies love to repeat to the Aussie government when things like this happen, “Charity begins at home.”
This is a real insult to the elderly. George who in the Irish parliament is responsible for the Seniors. Here the council’s get funding each financial year from the government. So it is up to each council to make sure the funding is used as it should be for there constituents. The council in each area call every year for those who need this money for what ever reason to contact them. My God there would be up roar here if this happened to our seniors. We spend that much on a sign for the seniors centre. Come on seniors and stand up for yourselves. Remember The seniors of today are far different from the seniors of yesteryear!!