Louth County Council uniting with local organisations to assist citizens during Covid-19

On Sunday afternoon Louth County Council announced that, on the instruction of  Minister Murphy, a Covid-19 Community Response Forum with a dedicated help line would be put in place by Monday to be co-ordinated by the Local Authority.

Unfortunately there were technical issues in establishing a Freephone number but today it was announced that a temporary contact telephone number 042 932 4307 is to be used until the issue with the Freephone number is resolved.

The helpline is focused primarily on ensuring that vulnerable members of the community or those living alone can access deliveries of groceries, medicine and fuels.

The role of the Forum is to ensure that there is a co-ordinated community response and to enable all voluntary statutory agencies to collaborate in support of our communities and particularly of our most vulnerable members.

The new COVID-19 Louth Community Response Forum includes over a dozen agencies and organisations Louth County Council. 

• Health Service Executive
• An Garda Síochána
• Louth Leader Partnership
• Louth Volunteer Centre
• Louth Age Friendly Alliance
• An Post
• Other community, voluntary and sports representatives will be confirmed.

The new phoneline is just one aspect of the Forum’s work. Its core aim is contributing to the community-wide effort to limit the spread of COVID-19.

Louth County Council through this group, will ensure that the wide variety of groups working across the county to assist those in need, will do so in an organised, collaborative and targeted way. 

The Council’s COVID-19 Community Response Forum is there to ensure the very best use of the many resources assisting vulnerable persons with their daily needs at this unprecedented time, whether that is collecting medication, food shopping, social support and contact.

Chief Executive of Louth County Council, Joan Martin, explains:

“There are a number of agencies currently doing excellent work in delivering care to older and vulnerable people in our communities. These groups are currently operating independently of each other and Louth County Council’s role is to provide a targeted, integrated and coordinated approach to the delivery of these much needed services to our more vulnerable citizens across the county during the COVID-19 pandemic.  

“Louth County Council is ideally placed both statutorily and regionally to channel this great work and provide the governance structure in partnership with all stakeholders.  This public health crisis has changed life for so many, and we are there to help with that change. 

“Our own staff whose day-jobs have changed due to this crisis, will be a key resource in the management and operation of this community support programme along with our partner agencies/groups.

Louth County Council is providing a dedicated contact number with the lines open from 0900 am to 5.00 pm seven days a week.” 

The Community Response Service can also be contacted via email – covidsupport@louthcoco.ie