New board to support Cherry Orchard community is a positive development – Seery Kearney

The establishment of a new board to implement supports for Dublin’s Cherry Orchard community which will report back to the Department of Justice is a positive development, according to a Fine Gael Senator.

Senator Seery Kearney, who represents Dublin South Central, was speaking as acting Justice Minister Simon Harris announced the Cherry Orchard Implementation Board, chaired by Brendan Foster of Grant Thornton, will be supported by a full-time co-ordinator.

Senator Seery Kearney said: “I really welcome the news of Minister Harris’s update to Government on the Cherry Orchard Implementation Board.

“The coming together of experienced representatives from agencies to work together to build a stronger safer community in Cherry Orchard, alongside the excellent organisations who are already working hard on the ground to support this strong and proud community is the positive news they deserve.

“The organisations I work with in Cherry Orchard have great belief particularly in the young people and their families, they are determined and ambitious for what can be with a coordinated approach to development and security in this valuable community.

“I have already engaged with the Chair, Brendan Foster on several occasions and I look forward to the appointment of a co-ordinator who will support the work on the ground and realise change in the way that the Drogheda initiative was transformative there over the past number of years,” Senator Seery Kearney concluded.