The six local Family Resources centres are fearing for their futures.
There are Carlow centres in Tullow and in Bagenalstown, with two in Kilkenny City and two more in Callan and Urlingford.
The Family Resource Centre National Forum says there’s no dedicated government unit dealing with their situation and so they are facing significant cutbacks.
They’re calling on locals to challenge all the general election candidates to support the centres – Newpark Centre manager Sheila Donnelly says she’s worried they could be closed down this summer is funding isn’t secured:
“There’s every possibility that come the end of June this year, we will not be reopening in September. Especially our afterschool programme because my knowledge of what’s happening is that parents who are not in work or in training, will not be able to use the three hours that they have at the moment. It will be going into the schools instead.”
