IRELAND’S National Action Plan on COVID-19 (Coronavirus) has tasked local authorities and other agencies to work closely with the Department of Community and Rural Development to coordinate the community and volunteering response to the current public health emergency.

A new COVID-19 Kerry Community Response Advisory Group has been established to coordinate how volunteers are managed and targeted to ensure that vulnerable members of the community can avail of a trusted and coordinated support service over the coming weeks and months.

The COVID-19 Kerry Community Response Advisory Group includes representatives of the following organisations:

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• Health Service Executive
• Kerry County Council
• An Garda Síochána
• Kerry Red Cross
• Kerry Civil Defence
• Kerry Volunteer Centre
• North East and West Kerry Development
• South Kerry Development Partnership
• IRD Duhallow
• Kerry GAA
• Kerry Public Participation Network (representing 700 approx community groups in Kerry)
• Kerry Age Friendly Network
• Local Link Kerry
• Citizens Information Service

The new group’s core aim is contributing to the community-wide effort to limit the spread of COVID-19.

The group wants to harness the energy and generosity of people who have come forward to offer support to people in the community who require assistance and advice.

The aim is to ensure that a coordinated, safe and reliable volunteer support network is available to those in need and that people in need of that assistance know who to contact for advice. Its work will complement much of the voluntary work which already taking place in communities across Kerry.

The Advisory Group is currently discussing how best to coordinate an inter-agency volunteer-based service to those in need of support at this time and will announce details of structures and arrangements in that regard over the coming days.