Donegal’s only not-for-profit child and adolescent counselling service is to close after buckling under funding pressure.
The Raphoe Diocesan Pastoral Services CLG, which operates across Donegal, will cease to operate from mid-March.
The closure comes as award-winning Director of Counselling, Liam Cannon, stands down after 14 years at the helm. Mr Cannon was employed part time one day per week and announced his resignation in September 2023, but remains in the position to allow the service to continue.
The service had battled for funding for a full-time director of counselling and a coordinator.
However, they announced today that: “despite consistent, exhaustive and explorative efforts in recent months to secure much-needed rolling investment from the HSE and Tusla to finance these positions, it’s now been confirmed that no funding will be made available.”
A statement from the Board said: “The reality is that the loss of this vital service will leave the many thousands of people who need counselling with nowhere to turn. It will also undo many years of hard work invested in building the infrastructure and governance to deliver this service in local communities.”
Based out of the Raphoe Pastoral Centre in Letterkenny, the not-for-profit community-based organisation has provided support to many thousands of clients in Donegal since 2010, delivering almost 15,000 counselling sessions in the last six years alone.
A total of 26 part-time counsellors, including 11 student placements, currently deliver the service in seven outreach centres across the county — including Letterkenny, Dunfanaghy, Stranorlar, Creeslough and Buncrana. Counselling is also provided by the Pastoral Centre at Hughie’s Corner in Carndonagh and Gemma’s Legacy of Hope in Dungloe, which are both community funded projects.
The service has grown exponentially in recent times, with around 120 clients now receiving counselling at any one time. More than 350 people seeking counselling support are currently on the waiting list, which continues to grow daily.
“The Board is fully aware of the devastation this will cause to clients, people on the waiting list, counsellors, support staff, students dependent on placements, and so many communities across Donegal. As the only counselling service for children and adolescents in the county, the cessation of this service will have far reaching consequences and create a dangerous void in the provision of mental health services for young people in Donegal,” they said.
“It’s envisaged that the situation will become even more bleak for Donegal communities, as demand for counselling services steadily grows.”
The Diocese of Raphoe has supported the service since 1992, with additional funding provided via charitable contributions and client donations. In more recent times, Tusla has part-funded service delivery for children and adolescents.
“At no time has any public funding been allocated for the adult counselling service provision. No funding is in place for management, staffing and administration costs,” the board said.
“Inadequate public funding has presented a very tough challenge to even maintain the enhanced service provision in recent times, let alone deal with increased demand. Our struggle has long since reached a tipping point and, unfortunately, our finances can no longer cope with the continuation of the service.
“As a Board, we would like to extend our heartfelt thanks and gratitude to everyone who has played their part in the delivery of this essential service.”
They added that full support and information will be provided to clients and referrers to ensure as seamless a conclusion as possible to service provision.
