Cherry Orchard Implementation Board announced

Helen McEntee

They announced that Brendan Foster, a partner in Grant Thornton, former chair of the Dublin Chamber of Commerce and the current chair of the Cherry Orchard Development Group, is to head up the new Cherry Orchard Implementation Board.

The model followed by the new Cherry Orchard Implementation Board (COIB) will be similar to the Drogheda Implementation Board, where an independent chair is working with Government departments and agencies to progress projects and initiatives to improve safety and wellbeing.

The Cherry Orchard Implementation Board will also be supported by a full time staff member, as is the case in Drogheda.

Mr Foster will be the independent chair of the COIB, and he and the board will work with the local community, stakeholders and providers.

The Government has recently made a number of announcements to support the community in Cherry Orchard. These include €123,200 to the Equine Centre under the Dormant Accounts Action Plan 2023 which will support Garda Youth Diversion Projects and initiatives to help young people find employment.

Ms McEntee also recently confirmed that one of the successful applicants to the 2022 Community Safety Innovation Fund was the “That’s a Wrap” project from Familibase, which serves Ballyfermot and the surrounding areas.

The project will receive over €135,000 to assist with outreach programmes for hard to reach young people.