President Mary McAleese opened a new respite centre for people with a visual impairment in Cootehall, on Tuesday.
The new Centre, Oakport Haven, is Ireland’s first holiday centre providing high quality accommodation and care provision for families of children with additional needs, in particular children with a visual impairment. The facility was built and is run by the National Association of Housing for Visually Impaired (NAHVI), a national charity for blind and vision impaired young people which seeks to provide them with housing in the community fostering independence and self-reliance.
Oakport Haven offers short-term breaks incorporating social opportunities to families of visually impaired people from Ireland and all over the world. The Centre can accommodate up to 30 people, six en-suite bedrooms can each accommodate a family of five. The main library and games room has high ceilings and a feature fireplace with a 42’ plasma screen TV. The dining area boasts a state-of-the-art kitchen, with floor-to-ceiling windows looking out on the expansive patio area which leads directly down onto Oakport Lough. There is also a jacuzzi and sauna in a separate spa area of the building. The building was designed by Darmody Architects.
Margaret Doyle, Chairperson of NAHVI, spoke of the hard work and determination to achieve a facility of this kind, “NAHVI is approaching its tenth anniversary next year, ten years ago Oakport Haven would have been beyond our wildest dreams for our young people and all children with a visual impairment. We have fought for lives of dignity, respect and independence for our children. We have achieved that thanks to all our supporters. We now can offer a facility with extraordinary comfort in an area of outstanding natural beauty for children and families with a visual impairment and other additional needs to come and take time out from everyday life. I am extremely proud of Oakport Haven and delighted that the local people of Cootehall and Carrick-on-Shannon have welcomed NAHVI into their wonderful community,” she said.
Oakport Haven is available to hire for a variety of uses. The building is extremely suitable for yoga or creative writing groups, as a music or theatre rehearsal space, or perfect for use as a meeting space for a party or celebration.
Bog issues raised with Minister
Frank Feighan TD has asked the Minister for the Environment if he will guarantee payment to farmers that were forced to sell bogland in the Special Areas of Conservation in counties Roscommon and Leitrim because they were prohibited from cutting turf on these bogs due to legislation.
Deputy Feighan drew the Minister’s attention to the fact that some of these farmers commenced selling their bog land back to his Department more than eight years ago and still have not received payment; and the action he will take in this matter.
In reply, the Minister said: “The farmers selling bogland to my Department do so under a voluntary scheme where property rights in raised bog Special Areas of Conservation and Natural Heritage Areas (NHAs) are acquired. There is no compulsion on landowners to sell their interest and there has been no prohibition on cutting for domestic purposes prior to 2010.
“Following the end of a ten-year derogation, turf cutting is now due to cease on 32 raised bog Special Areas of Conservation (SAC). Eight of these are wholly or partly in Co. Roscommon; none is in Co. Leitrim. Turf cutting is permitted to continue, under existing restrictions, on a further 23 SACs until 2011. Five of these sites are in Co. Roscommon. It is also permitted on 75 raised bog Natural Heritage Areas (NHAs) until 2013. Six of these NHAs are wholly or partly in Co. Leitrim and six are in Co. Roscommon.
“Having regard to available budgetary resources, priority is being given under the bog purchase scheme to those wishing to sell their interest in the 32 raised bog sites which were nominated for designation as SACs in 1999. Within the coming weeks, I expect to receive a report from an inter-departmental working group that I established last year to make recommendations on managing the cessation of turf cutting within these sites. I will conclude my consideration of these recommendations as rapidly as possible, and will then be in touch with affected individuals and representative groups in regard to the position.”
