Council has ‘no suitable premises’ to offer Cancer Support Group

SOUTH Dublin County Council has “no suitable premises” that it can offer the Tallaght Cancer Support Group (TCSG), as the voluntary group continues to look for a new premises.

As previously reported in The Echo, the TCSG had to vacate their previous space in Trustus House in Tallaght Village last April, as Trustus needed the rooms the support group used so they could carry out their work while adhering to social distancing guidelines.

TCSG now has a storage space in Glenview, but they are keen to find a new premises to rent in the centre of Tallaght where they can create the same welcoming atmosphere that they fostered in their former location.

Sinn Féin councillor Dermot Richardson submitted a question at Monday’s monthly meeting of the Tallaght Area Committee, where he asked the council if they could help the group to find a new premises.

In response, the local authority stated it had “no suitable premises under its control but will discuss with colleagues in [the] community who may have wider knowledge on possible locations.”

Cllr Richardson told The Echo: “I’m looking for the council to support this great group that supports people with cancer, and their families, during a traumatic time.

“They do a great job in the community. We’re looking for a premises for them in the short-term, to secure the group’s long-term future.”

The TCSG was established in 2007 and provides support for all cancer patients, and their families and friends, through a variety of services.

The group provides a social outlet for people affected by cancer, and also offers counselling and holistic services, such as reiki and acupuncture, to help people going through treatment.

Currently, these services are being offered online, but the group is hoping to get back to offering their services in-person, five-days-a-week, once they secure a new premises.