Community Response Forum to coordinate Mayo measures welcoming Ukrainians

COMMUNITY Response Forums are being established in every local authority area, including Mayo County Council, to coordinate local responses to the Ukraine crisis.

Local community and voluntary groups around the country have been mobilising in recent weeks to welcome into their communities people who are fleeing Ukraine. As the new arrivals begin to settle in, each local authority has established a Community Response Forum to provide a coordination point for the community and voluntary response in their area.

Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys, said the local forums worked very well during the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic response and are best placed to put arrangements in place to help the new arrivals from Ukraine access services.

She commented: “Right across government, we are doing all we can to assist Ukrainian nationals who have fled this devastating war. This approach at local level is a key part of our overall efforts and will be so important in the weeks and months to come.”

Both Minister Humphreys and Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage Darragh O’Brien have written to local authorities setting out a template for arrangements to be in place in each area.

Building on structures and relationships which were highly effective during the early months of the pandemic, the Community Response Fora will enable all those involved to work together under the stewardship of the local authority.

Supplementing the supports and services being provided by government agencies at a local level, their purpose will be to ensure effective communication and information sharing in the coordination of local community and voluntary actions in providing community supports to the new Ukrainian communities.

Said Minister O’Brien: “Local authorities are stepping up once again to lead the local response to what is a very complex and rapidly evolving situation. They will coordinate local efforts very effectively and ensure that every effort is made to welcome new arrivals from Ukraine into our communities.”