e-mail: WillieGallagher@hotmail.com

I am writing to you on behalf of Teach na Failte (House of Welcome) to inform you and as many other agencies and bodies as possible about our organisation and the services we already provide and hope to provide in the future. I hope to put this across in as short, concise and informative manner as possible stating what is Teach na Failte, (TnF), why it is needed, what we have achieved to date and an overview of our future strategy.

What is Teach na Failte?

TnF was established in December 1996 after numerous discussions amongst Republican Socialist (INLA) ex prisoners, serving prisoners and their families. It was established for the relief of poverty amongst such persons and in particular, to provide support, care, aftercare and facilities to include education and capacity building training thus empowering such persons with the skills necessary to fully integrate into the wider community. It is a properly constituted and recognised charitable organisation with an overseeing Management Committee with local committees in Belfast, Derry, Strabane, Dublin and Cork. TnF is a vehicle for change, based on the principle of self-help and mutual aid, to address the needs of a particularly marginalised section of our community thus promoting and assisting justice, peace and reconciliation in Ireland.

Why is Teach na Failte needed?

There are a number of groups existing today which caters for the needs of various ex prisoners within the nationalist and loyalist communities except for Republican Socialist ex prisoners and their families who have experienced double exclusion both within and without the prisons. There is an estimated 500 Republican Socialist ex prisoners with an estimated 4,000 immediate family members. These figures do not include extended family members or close friends who have been affected by the imprisonment of those dear to them. Since the conflict began every other category of prisoners enjoyed an infrastructure which assisted the needs of the families of serving prisoners and ex prisoners, except for Republican Socialist ex prisoners. These ex prisoners are deeply suspicious of government agencies and bodies and indeed of other Republican ex prisoner groups. This in turn left such persons feeling isolated and marginalised within the communities. TnF is the first serious attempt to address this marginalisation. It is intended by TnF through education, capacity building training and other measures to achieve-social inclusion, negation of marginalisation, relief of poverty, increase skills and employability, negate discrimination and to eventually become a community service for the whole community and not just the ex prisoner community.

Achievements and future strategy.

TnF has achieved many of its key objectives as outlined in the Development Plan even though it is still very much in its infancy. Initially there were many set backs when first attempting to progress the Project mainly because the ex prisoner family concerned were at one time connected to the INLA, who were not on cease-fire when TnF was first formed. This meant that no funding, the major obstacle to developing the Project, was attainable. However, since the cease-fire was declared on 22nd August 1998 progress has been significant.

We have a clear development strategy, contained within the Development Plan and Back from the Margins report, and to date we have established two offices, one in Belfast the other in Strabane, with two full time workers and numerous voluntary workers. We have acquired funding from Northern Ireland Voluntary Trust, Belfast European Partnership Board, Derry District Partnership Board, Strabane District Partnership Board and Area Development Management Limited and Combat Poverty Agency.

The strategy within the Back from the Margins report identifies three key objectives to progress the Project.

• Organisational development-building an all Ireland infrastructure.
• Lobbying, information and provision of facilities and services.
• Education and capacity building training.

Accredited computer training classes are commencing in February in the TnF Strabane office with three separate classes consisting of six persons per class for fifteen weeks. This will be accompanied with classes in personal development, welfare rights and conflict resolution which begin in March.

TnF has also been successful in representing the families of serving prisoners with both governments and other agencies. It has also enjoyed success in representations to the NIHE, DHSS and TEA and have requested to become service providers for New Deal in the Strabane area. TnF has also been successful in resolving conflicts within the community and indeed between communities and are considering developing a mediation service for local communities.

To conclude I have told you briefly what Teach na Failte is, why it is needed, what we have achieved and of our future strategy. If you are interested in our Project, require more information or if you feel we can provide some type of service for mutual benefit do not hesitate to get in contact with us. Would it be possible to put TnF on your mailing list?

Thank you.

Willie Gallagher.