David Stanton, Fine Gael TD for Cork East believes that the establishment of youth facility in the Midleton area is long overdue. Deputy Stanton has been calling for a youth centre or youth café for the area for a number of years and is continuing to support local efforts to develop a youth facility.
“For many years now, I have been supportive of local efforts to find a suitable location to develop a youth facility in the Midleton area. Midleton is a large town with a large catchment area of young people. It has four second level schools catering for well over 2500 students, and while operating a successful youth project programme, Midleton has a need for a youth centre or youth café like those that exist in many other large towns.
“Towns such as Bantry and Bandon have successful youth café’s and I firmly believe that a youth café in Midleton would also be very successful. Despite a large number of young people living in Midleton and the surrounding area there is no safe indoor space which young people can use in the evenings after school or at the weekends to catch up with their friends and meet new people.
“I have been working with Midleton Town Council, Cork County Council, the HSE, SECAD and Cloyne Diocesan Youth Services in the hope of securing a suitable location in Midleton to develop a youth café in the town. It is hoped also that there may be access to some health services such as advice and counselling on the premises also. I feel this type of facility would provide real benefits for our young people.
“At the formal annual meeting between Oireachtas Members and Cork County Council Management Team yesterday I supported the possibility of using the old fire station in the centre of Midleton as a possible venue for a youth café. I hope this option will be explored fully and I will certainly lend my support to any proposal. I have been very disappointed that previous venues have proved to be unsuitable but I hope that a viable venue will be found soon for this very worthwhile project.
