Student's Union donation to Fr Peter McVerry
Thursday 28 April 2005

Paul May, President of Student's Union, Fr. Peter McVerry of the Arrupe Society and Declan Carey, Taught Postgraduate Representative of the Students' Union

Following a highly successful and `eventful' Rag Week in February, the DCU Students' Union today made a €4,300 donation to Fr Peter McVerry of the Arrupe Society. This contribution will be used to provide accommodation and care for homeless young people in Dublin, including a residential drug `detox' centre and two aftercare houses.

Fr McVerry SJ, who was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by DCU in Autumn 2001, founded the Arrupe Society in 1983 to provide care and accommodation for homeless boys. At that time, the Health Board's responsibility for children ended at the age of 16 and no statutory body had any responsibility for the 16-18 age group. The Arrupe Society, therefore, sought to provide a service to this age group. Since 1991, the Health Boards have had a statutory responsibility for children up to the age of 18, but a shortage of facilities and services has meant that frequently no alternative accommodation is available to children in this age group.

The Students' Union also made a donation to the Educational Trust towards the DCU Access Programme which coordinates a range of activities aimed at increasing participation in higher education by students who, for a variety of financial or social reasons, do not view going to university as a viable or attractive option.

For further information on the Access programme:
http://www.dcu.ie/students/access/

For further information on the Educational Trust:
http://www.dcu.ie/trust/

For further information on the Arrupe Society:
http://www.soulsearching.ie/ssarrupe.shtml