Jigsaw – the national centre for youth mental health – look set to have a centre up and running in Tipperary by the end of the year.
Mental Health Minister Mary Butler has updated the situation regarding the service following a meeting with local Oireachtas members earlier this week.
Thurles will be the location for their main base with outreach centres planned for Clonmel and Nenagh.
Fine Gael Senator Garret Ahearn says the Minister has come back with some positive news.
“They have identified suitable premises in Thurles but there’s considerable refurbishment to be done to make it suitable.”
“So in the meantime as an interim measure they’ve located a temporary place in Thurles and that’s expected to be open by December 2020.”
Once the main centre is up and running the focus will turn to outreach centres in Nenagh and Clonmel.
Senator Ahearn says he has driven home the importance of these to Minister Butler given how big Tipperary is.
“It’s 150 kilometres long so the logistics of people getting to Thurles – albeit Thurles is in the centre of the county – for a lot of people it can be over an hours journey.”
“So the outreach hubs are vitally important for people to get the service they need – and she recognises that as she lives just over the border from Tipperary and she has a keen understanding certainly of south Tipperary in terms of Carrick on Suir and Clonmel.”
“I stressed to her the challenges we have in the area as we have one of the highest rates of suicide in the country.”
