Meeting of IMPERO

by Sean Crudden Sat Jun 02, 2007 20:54

A meeting of IMPERO took place in The Strand Hotel, Omeath, Co Louth, commencing at 1.50 p.m. and finishing at 3.10 p.m. on Saturday 2 June 2007. The meeting was preceded by a communal meal which began at 1.15 p.m.

Present were, Archbishop Michael Desmond Hynes OMA PhD (vice-chairperson), Kevin Hynes, Joan Hardy (mentor), Anne Muldowney (chairperson), Sean Crudden (secretary).

Apologies were received from Fr Hal Somerville OMA, Fr Michael Burke OMA, Bishop Tom Daly OMA (president).

The secretary was instructed to write to the president, Bishop Tom Daly, thanking him for a cheque of €50 received from him which would be lodged to IMPERO’s account.

The minutes of the previous meeting were read out by the secretary and unanimously adopted on the proposal of the Archbishop seconded by Kevin Hynes.

The draft report "Mental Health and Social Inclusion" which had been presented by the NESF project team at a plenary session in The Royal Hospital, Kilmainham, on 17 May 2007 was discussed. It was felt that mental patients would need upskilling in areas like IT and also more capacity building to benefit fully from involvement in the community and in community development. It was agreed that the Archbishop would make a public comment on the draft report as well as a private comment to Dr Jeanne Moore, policy analyst, who had a major role in writing the draft report.

The secretary read a submission he had made recently on behalf of IMPERO to the Department of the Taoiseach as part of the public consultation process on the public service. The submission was approved but it was decided that it should not be published on the IMPERO website for the time being - at least until the process of consultation had matured.

It was decided to continue efforts to seek funding for a short film on isolation/depression. Agencies to be canvassed include The Broadcasting Commission of Ireland, Voluntary Arts Ireland and also the social inclusion officer of Louth County Council. It was suggested that funding from private companies and individuals might be sought also.

On the proposal of the Archbishop seconded by the secretary it was unanimously decided to request Arthur Morgan TD to be patron of IMPERO.

The secretary read out a letter from Dr Geraldine Lyster, consultant psychiatrist, thanking him for acting as chairperson of a workshop (on complementary/alternative therapy) which took place during a seminar held in The Fairways Hotel on Friday 11 May 2007. The seminar was a big event organised by the HSE and Dundalk Mental Health Association and attended by over 200 people from places like Monaghan, Meath, Dublin, Derry as well as Louth. The theme of the seminar was "Service Users and Carers."

The next meeting of IMPERO was fixed to take place in The Strand Hotel on Saturday 7 June 2008 at 2.00 p.m. It is hoped the meeting will be preceded by a meal starting at 1.00 p.m.

by Sean Crudden - impero Sat Jun 02, 2007 17:32

The minutes of the meeting will be posted on this site tomorrow DV.

Chairperson, Anne Muldowney, looking out towards Warrenpoint before this afternoon's IMPERO meeting in The Strand Hotel, Omeath, Co Louth.

Brothers Kevin Hynes (left) and Archbishop Michael Desmond Hynes. The Archbishop is clutching to his bosom the draft report on "Mental Health and Social Inclusion" which was recently produced by an expert group under the auspices of the NESF.

Chairperson, Anne Muldowney concentrates on the post meeting discussion.

Anne Muldowney and Kevin Hynes pause for a final picture on their way to the car-park. Warrenpoint - on the far side of Carlingford Lough - is discernable on the horizon.