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A CHERRY ORCHARD group has been set up to help co-ordinate and intensify support for the south Dublin suburb near Ballyfermot.
It comes after a Garda patrol car was repeatedly rammed in the area in September, with bystanders seen cheering in a clip widely shared on social media.
Politicians condemned the incident but some argued the Government has let down and neglected several generations in the Cherry Orchard community.
The new group comes after ministers met with community representatives in recent weeks.
Justice Minister Helen McEntee and Minister of State for Law Reform James Browne announced the Cherry Orchard Implementation Board (COIB) this afternoon.
Delighted to be in Cherry Orchard this morning to welcome @HMcEntee & @JamesBrowneTD as they announced a new Cherry Orchard Implementation Board who will support the organisations, groups and community activists as they bring to reality the plans for this super #community pic.twitter.com/FDKtruZ5Pc
— Senator Mary Seery Kearney 🇮🇪🇺🇦 (@SeeryKearney) November 24, 2022
It will be part of a cross-government initiative, led by the Department of the Taoiseach, to examine disadvantaged communities and “how best to intensify the interventions” if needed.
Brendan Foster, a partner in Grant Thornton, former chairman of the Dublin Chamber of Commerce and the current chairman of the Cherry Orchard Development Group, will be the independent chairman of the new group, which will be staffed by a full-time member.
Foster will work with Government departments and agencies to progress projects and initiatives, with the aim of improving safety and wellbeing.
The Department of Justice and Dublin City Council will work with Foster over the coming weeks to identify members and supports needed for the COIB.
Recent support given to the community includes €123,200 to the equine centre and €135,000 to the That’s A Wrap project from FamiliBase, which serves the Ballyfermot area.
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Cherry orchard like other working class areas in Dublin has been left behind by successive governments, I don’t understand some comments on here.
Maybe the government should stop paying private fee paying schools over €100 million a year and invest in the areas that supply the majority of the workers that have to work in minimum wage industries to keep the elite class in their wealth.
Are the people in power afraid of the ordinary working people!!!! Keep them down and don’t educate them, keep giving them false promises….hope.. And a chance for a decent life.
A proud ballyfermot man
@Ken Farrell: I dont understand your comment. Your either bad or good, no matter what your life is. Bleeding heart nonsense again. Some people can never be helped. And to say the whole area is let down by the Government, pretty sure the whole area wasnt out ramming into guards car.
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