Deputy First Minister and Finance Minister announce Fermanagh House extension

L-R  Finance Minister Arlene Foster. Lauri McCusker-Director, Fermanagh Trust, Frank McManus-Chairman, Fermanagh Trust and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness

 

Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness and Finance Minister Arlene Foster have launched a major capital extension to Fermanagh House, one of the first capital project to get of the ground thanks to support through the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister’s Social Investment Fund.

The Fermanagh House extension will ensure demand from a wide range of charities and organisations requiring meeting rooms, counselling space, community education space and offices will be met.

Frank McManus Chairman of the Fermanagh Trust explained ‘‘Fermanagh House has a proven track record as a successful social enterprise, an effective one stop shop for the community and voluntary sector, making services more accessible for local people. Currently the building hosts over 50 different user groups each month meeting the needs and demands of a wide range of interests’’

‘‘The extension will provide approximately 800 square metres of space which will provide a base for even more regional charities and voluntary sector service providers in Fermanagh. It really is an exciting development and we are grateful for the investment from OFMDFM’’ emphasised Frank. 

The Fermanagh House extension project will ensure increased services can be provided linking both people and communities across Fermanagh and helping regional and voluntary sector service providers to provide services in the West.  A range of new services and facilities will be included in the new space including a dedicated community education resource and hot desks for new and fledgling community initiatives and enterprises.

 

The deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness said: “The £875,000 extension of Fermanagh House is proof of how the £80million Social Investment Fund can make maximum impact through meeting the specific needs of people living in the area.

“This extension will increase the Fermanagh House floor space by over 70 per cent and include a range of new services and facilities with a dedicated community education resource and space for new and fledgling initiatives and enterprises.

“I commend Fermanagh Trust for this innovative and ambitious approach which enables the charity to reinvest any income generated from the new facility back into the local community benefitting local groups and charities.

“This investment enables Fermanagh Trust to continue making a much valued contribution to Fermanagh and drive the economic, social and emotional benefits for the entire community.”
Minister Foster said: “I welcome this £875,000 extension to Fermanagh House which is the result of the vision of the Fermanagh Trust to achieve real, long lasting social and economic benefits and make life better for everyone in the local Enniskillen community.

“A total of £8million has been allocated to the SIF Western Zone and initiatives such as the Fermanagh House project are central to our shared purpose. This has been reinforced very recently in the ‘Fresh Start’ Agreement, to build a better, fairer, more inclusive society across Northern Ireland.

“The £80million Social Investment Fund is at the heart of the Northern Ireland Executive’s Delivering Social Change Framework making life changing differences to people facing hardship, poverty, deprivation and dereliction not just in the Enniskillen area but throughout Northern Ireland.”