Meath groups to benefit from €1.2m funding for LGBTI+ Community Services
LGBTI+ Community Services providing much-needed support to rural groups across Ireland including Meath will benefit from funding of over €1.2m.
The funding is being made available to 27 LGBTI+ community service based projects across the country. Groups from across Galway, Louth, Mayo, Kildare, Longford, Sligo, Cavan, Monaghan, Roscommon, Westmeath and Meath will benefit from the grants which will be a great help to organisations and communities to assist in the development of rural community infrastructure to be inclusive and welcoming of LGBTI+ persons, address gaps in LGBTI+ services, and support existing LGBTI+ community organisations.
Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Roderic O’Gorman, announced the funding today, with grants of up to €100,000 being allocated to successful organisations.
Meath's Meath LGBTQ Support Group '12 Weeks Educate Together' programme is to receive €5,000 while Outcomers 'Operation Rainbow North East' which operates in Meath, Cavan Louth and Dublin is to get €60,000.
The National LGBTI+ Inclusion Strategy 2019-2021 was adopted by the Government and launched in November 2019, providing a whole-of-Government framework for identifying and addressing issues which may prevent LGBTI+ people from enjoying full equality in practice in Irish society. The Strategy is based on four thematic pillars providing a vision of an Ireland where members of the LGBTI+ community are visible and included, treated equally, healthy, and safe and supported.
Midlands-North-West constituency MEP Maria welcomed the announcement:
“There have been far too many examples of exclusion, abuse and hate crimes against the LGBTI+ community this year and today’s announcement is a positive step in the right direction. Every LGBTI+ person should feel safe, secure, welcome, visible and included in their communities, villages, towns and cities. This is a basic human right and one that is often taken for granted.
“It is vital that positive visibility and increased non-stereotypical representation of LGBTI+ identities are built upon to support long-term attitudinal change. This funding is an important element in achieving the overall objectives of the National LGBTI+ Inclusion Strategy and I am delighted to see such wonderful projects and organisations across the Midlands-North-West, and beyond, included on the list. These groups are doing amazing work in their communities to provide a safer and more inclusive environment for everyone, and I will do whatever I can to support these initiatives,” said MEP Walsh.
The 2022 LGBTI+ Community Services Funding Call for proposals ran from June 22nd, 2022 – July 20th, 2022. €1,209,832.35 has been made available in 2022 to support LGBTI+ projects through grant funding of €25,000 - €100,000 per successful Scheme A project and €5,000 - €10,000 per successful Scheme B project.