“It’s so important to reach out and get help”.
That’s the message from Minister for Mental Health and Older People Mary Butler while visiting Kilkenny today.
Minister Butler was invited by TD for Carlow Kilkenny and Minister for Heritage and Electoral Reform Malcoom Noonan to visit some key mental health service providers in the city.
On the trip, Minister Butler stopped off at Ossory Youth, Kilkenny Samaritans and TASK to see how these services provide support, training and community outreach in the county.
Our Reporter Edwina Grace caught up with Minister Butler – hear what she had to say here:
Minister Malcolm Noonan himself had worked at Ossory Youth for three years and was delighted to be back – he even took some time out to make the tea and to talk to KCLR:
Ossory Youth CEO Mary Mescall had a robust conversation with the ministers – she sums up that chat:
En route to Desart Hall, the pair had stopped off at Teac Tom:
Then it was on to the local Samaritans base on the Waterford Road in Kilkenny where invites to next month’s James Bond themed fundraising Ball were extended:
And the last stop of the day was at the former Auxiliary Hospital to meet those involved with TASK:
The visit ended with chats in the garden at TASK.