Galway Bay fm newsroom - A commitment has been given in the Dáil to explore how a free Galway youth counselling service might be saved from imminent closure.
Junior Minister Jim Daly has pledged in the chamber to personally examine the situation to assess steps forward for the beleaguered service.
It's after Galway deputies Anne Rabbitte, Catherine Connolly and Hildegarde Naughton made a passionate plea for the vital service to be spared from the axe.
The Dáil heard that the service requires funding of 35 thousand euro to keep the doors open - which equates to just 175 euro per child availing of counselling.
The service, operated by Youth Work Ireland Galway, offers non-referral counselling to young teenagers in the city, Tuam, Ballinasloe and Loughrea.
The withdrawal of the service is now imminent due to what’s being described as a lack of a stable source of funding.
Deputies Rabbitte, Connolly and Naughton argue that it offers a vital lifeline to up to 200 young people across Galway.
Speaking in response, Junior Minister Jim Daly pledged to personally examine the situation.
