06 Oct Donation of family home in Glenageary sees new residential start for 4 people living with Intellectual Disability
Four bed detached home an “exceptional donation” to St John of God Community Services. Minister for Disability, Ann Rabbitte TD, attends special opening ceremony.
Tuesday 4 October 2022
The official opening ceremony takes place in Glenageary today of a revamped family home which has been donated to St John of God Housing Association, for the dedicated purpose of serving as a permanent future home for 4 people living with intellectual disability.
The four-bedroom detached house has been generously donated by the parents of one of the occupants and has recently been upgraded and resourced with the support of the Department of Housing and the HSE, to meet the individual needs of its four new residents.
The house is the former family home of Teresa O’Hare and her late husband Tom, who says the decision to hand it over to the Service was one they made many years ago, while making future plans for their only son Ryan who is a lifelong service user of St John of God Community Services.
“Ryan is our only child; he grew up in this house and so this is in many ways about his birth right. Because he has been cared for by St John of God Community Services throughout his life and continuing into the future, it seemed to be the right thing to offer our home to the Service so that he can continue to live here for the rest of his life. By securing Ryan’s future in this way, I am glad that it will also be home to three individuals supported by St John of God Community Services. My late husband and I always believed very strongly in the rights of people with disabilities and the right to one’s own home is surely at the heart of that.”
The Minister for Disabilities, Anne Rabbitte TD, said it was her great pleasure to open the new residence in Glenageary – “I wish to acknowledge the hard work, the generosity, and the love that has made this opening possible. I want to extend my gratitude to Teresa O’Hare for her generous donation, the commitment of Saint John of God Housing Association, Saint John of God Community Services, the Department of Housing and the HSE to ensure the completion of this house. Collaborative efforts can make a difference. Today, you have all made a difference to the lives of four people and their families.”
Clare Dempsey, CEO of the SJOG Community Services – “We are delighted indeed to be opening a new housing facility made possible thanks to the amazing generosity of Teresa O’Hare and her late husband Tom, both of whom have been great supporters of St John of God Community Services for many years. I also want to recognise the support of the Department of Housing and the HSE in assisting us in upgrading and staffing the new residence and enabling us to commission it for Ryan and his three fellow residents. ”
Saint John of God Community Services clg operates HSE-funded services to children and adults with intellectual disability, and to children, adolescents and adults with mental ill health. As part of Saint John of God Hospitaller Services Group, it supports approximately 8,000 children and adults annually with over 3,000 staff and volunteers.
The new residential house at Glenageary will enable independent living, improved quality of life and easier access to the community, for the residents living there.
You can read more about it here:
Independent – ‘Ryan is our only child, this house is his birthright’ – Dublin mum donating home to St John of God services – Independent.ie