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St Mary of the Angels face funding cuts

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By Sean Moriarty

 

A second Kerry-based disability care provider - St Mary of the Angels in Beaufort - will be forced to cut services after the HSE announced a county-wide cut of €160,000.

Last week the Killarney Advertiser revealed that Kerry Parents and Friends, which cares for 270 special needs patients, and is headquartered in Killarney, was left with a €60,000 shortfall in funding.

The Beaufort facility is home to 76 people with physical and intellectual disabilities.

Many residents have been living there for most of their lives.

It was founded by the Franciscan Sisters in 1968 on land donated to them by local couple Denis and Mary Doyle.

It is currently operated by St John of God Kerry Services which provides training, employment, social and residential programmes for over 300 children and adults.

As well as St Mary of the Angels in Beaufort, St John of God also operate in Cahersiveen, Castleisland, Dingle, Kenmare, Killarney, Killorglin, Listowel and Tralee.

“In 2009, our annual HSE Allocation was €17.2m,” Claire O’Dwyer, General Manager St John of God Kerry Services, told the Killarney Advertiser.

“In 2019 the allocation was €16.9m. Yet over this 10 year period, the level of service provided in Kerry grew significantly with a new day centre opening in Tralee and expansions in Listowel, Killarney and Killorglin.

“Over the last two years we have suffered further significant cuts totalling €272,000 and a further cut of €160,000 has been imposed for 2020. These cuts have been a significant contributor to our financial deficit which has come in at €1.25m for each of the last two years.

“Yet at the same time, we are obligated by the standards regulator HIQA to meet the appropriate number, qualifications and mix of staff required for the number of residents, their needs and the size of the our centre at Beaufort. For these reasons, we are deeply concerned over this latest cut which will result in a reduction of existing service provision.”

St John of God Kerry is backing the National Federation of Voluntary Bodies campaign to reverse the €20m cut that has been imposed on the disability sector nationally ahead of next Saturday’s General Election.

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Network Ireland Kerry discuss sustainable success

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Network Ireland Kerry held their third annual collaboration event last Wednesday at the Rose Hotel, Tralee. The theme was: “The Journey to Sustainable Success” which brought three industry experts together to talk about their own journey to sustainable successful.

Business professionals, entrepreneurs, and financial leaders came together for this highly anticipated event to learn about the journey from becoming a start-up, to a small-to-medium enterprise (SME), and a large SME.

The event was opened by AIB Branch Liaison for Network Ireland Kerry and AIB Castleisland Branch Manager, Colleen Shannon. It was MC’d by AIB Tralee Branch Manager, Stephen Stack.

Sarah Farrar of AINMHÌ, Garrett Dillon of Mr. Binman and Dillon Waste Ltd. and Susan Quirke-Crowley of Mounthawk Montessori School Group were among the speakers at the event.

These leaders spoke about their challenges, milestones, and breakthroughs they encountered, from launching an idea to scaling operations nationally.

Tara Elzingre of Tara Elzingre Consultancy, Zaneta Labuz-Czerwein of Rustic Boowa and Sharon Hartnett of U Coaching promoted their businesses for ‘Minute on the Mic’

Emily Reen, Network Ireland Kerry President, described the event as a testament to the power of partnership. She said: “The event underscored a powerful message: sustainable business success is not a solo journey. With the right partnerships, teams and financial tools, businesses of all sizes can grow with purpose, resilience, and long-term impact.”

Network Ireland Kerry will host their next monthly event on November 12 in Killarney and in collaboration with the Kerry Local Enterprise Office, titled: “Gain Competitive Advantage in Your Business”. This event will be MC’d by Karen Ronan, 2025 National Vice President of Network Ireland and CEO of Galway Chamber. This event is open to non-members and members, and everyone is welcome from 6 pm for networking and refreshments, with the event taking place from 6.30 pm to 8.30 pm.

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Minor injury clinic to open by this time next year

The Killarney Local Injury Clinic is expected to be open by Q3 2026, according to the HSE. The proposed unit will be located on the grounds of St Columbanus Home. […]

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The Killarney Local Injury Clinic is expected to be open by Q3 2026, according to the HSE. The proposed unit will be located on the grounds of St Columbanus Home.

The timeline was confirmed in response to a Parliamentary Question from Fianna Fáil TD Michael Cahill, who said the project will follow the relocation of the Community Nursing Unit from its current site to the grounds of the old St Finan’s Hospital. Once the transfer is complete, construction of the injury clinic can proceed.
Deputy Cahill described the two new health facilities as “a fantastic addition for Killarney and the wider East, Mid, and South Kerry regions” and noted they will help reduce waiting times at University Hospital Kerry A&E.
“I will continue to push for enhanced health services for our people,” added the Fianna Fáil Spokesperson for Older People.
The new clinic is expected to provide urgent care services for local residents, easing pressure on hospital emergency departments and improving access to timely treatment in the Killarney area.

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