Minister for Disability and Fianna Fáil General Election candidate for Galway East, Anne Rabbitte, is hosting a public meeting in Tuam this Friday, 22nd November, to discuss the plans for the Toghermore site in the town, which aim to deliver an inclusive campus with disability services at the core.
The meeting will take place at 7.30pm in High Cross College, Tuam where a number of speakers will detail plans for the site, including the development of an equine therapy facility.
The Toghermore site, which is owned by the HSE, had housed mental health services for the area before they moved into the Grove campus in 2023.
Minister Rabbitte had been engaging with the HSE to develop a future for the site, which would include the delivery of disability services as well as wider community services, including:
GAA pitches, walkway trails, an equestrian area, playgrounds, sensory and therapy gardens, a café, as well as poly tunnels and raised bed horticulture areas.
In May, Minister Rabbitte asked the HSE to commence a feasibility study for the Toghermore campus.
Minister Rabbitte commented:
As Minister, I have been engaging extensively with the HSE to ensure there is a plan developed for the Toghermore site, which works for both disability services but also for use by the wider community.Toghermore could be an example of best practice in how we create an inclusive campus that supports the people of Tuam and surrounding area.
The site is an absolute asset to the community and has so much to offer, including the development of an equestrian centre to support people with disabilities.In my view, there are a number of options that the HSE can pursue to ensure the Toghermore site is integrated into the community while also enhancing the quality of life for children and adults with disabilities.
There is an opportunity to utilise the site for the entire community, which is why I’m hosting this public meeting this Friday, 22nd November, where people can hear firsthand the plans being looked at, as well as raise their views on what’s required of the site.
and she concluded:
There is ample space, and indeed demand, for the site to include two pitches and a running track, which is crucial for the town.The inclusion of these amenities would not only be fantastic for disability services in the area, but for the community and sports clubs.
