Foyle Haven funding security discussed

The Sinn Fein representatives also raised ‘Supporting People’ funding and housing stress during the meeting with HE senior officials in Belfast this week, as part of the party’s ongoing engagement work in relation to housing locally.

Foyle Haven was established in 2001 to provide support to local street drinkers. Demand for its service has grown rapidly since, but the service has been facing difficulties in securing funding for some of its services over the past three years,

Karen Mullan told the ‘Journal’: “We welcome the funding and support the HE has provided to the Foyle Haven over the years, but year on year the Haven has had to fight hard to remain open. Sinn Féin representatives are continually meeting with HE and other statutory bodies to secure recurrent core funding for bodies to take the lead in this process.”

Elisha McCallion added: “It is disappointing that three years down the line after I initiated a steering group to work alongside DePaul, that a resolution has not been found. Over the past year Mayor Maoliosa McHugh has facilitated the same process without a determined result. Further meetings will now be arranged to seek a resolution.”

She said that they also focused on housing stress and ‘Supporting People’ funding, which was “vital to many groups in Derry.”