OFFICIAL OPENING OF ABILITY WEST HOUSE
Ability West officially opened a new regional base for Galway East in Tuam on Friday, July 25th. Located on Sun Street in the former Pieta House building, the facility marks a major milestone in the organisation’s strategic regionalisation plan. The new offices are called Ability West House
The decision to open a new base in Tuam follows a comprehensive review of service delivery by Ability West CEO Julie Silke Daly, who took up the role in January 2024. With 70 services operating across Galway City and County, the organisation identified a need to create a regionalised model of service.
CEO Julie Silke Daly explained, “The County has now been developed into two regions Galway East and Galway West and the key benefit of this will be that a multi-disciplinary team including Physiotherapists, Psychologists, Social Workers, Occupational Therapists, Speech and Language specialists, and Behaviour Support professionals are available in the area and this means that persons supported are having regular reviews with this team and over time the team will become more familiar with each service user. For the multi-disciplinary team, this also maximises the amount of time they can spend with the persons supported.
We recognise that we have huge unmet needs in residential and respite services and are working with our funding partner, the HSE, to develop these services that are so desperately needed in the area. We are very supportive of our umbrella organisation, the National Federation of Voluntary Service Providers and their key priorities for Budget 2026 to provide the services and funding required in the area.” Julie Silke Daly also thanked the owners of Ability West House, James and Edel Donellan for making the property available to Ability West. She further thanked Ability West’s funding partner, the HSE especially Ann Cosgrove and Mary O’Halloran.
In the past few months, Ability West has met with Galway East families to keep them informed about the evolving regionalisation strategy. The organisation currently provides 29 residential services and 30-day services throughout Galway, and plans are also in development to redevelop an existing Tuam property into a respite service—something that will be warmly welcomed in the area.
Chair of the Board, Ray Kelly added, “This marks a major milestone in the development of Ability West Services, which should benefit the people we support and their families. As a parent myself of a person supported in an Ability West Service I recognise that while Ability West has achieved a lot we still have more to do and there’s lots of work in progress.”
Minister Seán Canney attended the official opening and remarked: “I’m delighted to officially open Ability West House in Tuam — a hugely positive development for the town and for families across Galway East. This new base reflects a real commitment to delivering person-centred services, closer to home, for people with intellectual, physical, and multiple disabilities. The regional model being introduced will make a genuine difference in the lives of those supported, by ensuring access to a dedicated multi-disciplinary team and consistent, high-quality care. As a proud Tuam representative, I know how much this investment in local services will mean to individuals, families, and the wider community. I commend Ability West on their forward-thinking approach and continued dedication to inclusion.” Deputy Albert Dolan, was also in attendance at the event.
On the day the persons supported and their staff members came from far and wide to see the new offices and socialise and enjoy some refreshments in the meeting room!
Photos Jacinta Fahy
