At the February meeting of the Thurles Municipal District, Fianna Fáil councillor Kay Cahill Skehan tabled a motion calling for support to be reinstated for men’s sheds in the area.

Men’s sheds are community-based spaces where predominantly older men gather for social interaction, activities and peer support.

Speaking at the meeting, Cllr Cahill Skehan said that all men’s sheds in north Tipperary should be supported by the council’s SICAP (Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme).

"All sheds in north Tipperary are standalone sheds, they’re under volunteers, so there’s no professional administrative or governance expertise, and no paid staff,” she said.

"Thurles in fact, has one man who is retired administering the shed, Moycarkey-Borris has a lady who keeps it going, Borrisokane has one retired man administering the shed too, Silvermines have two men, but they also do the community centre, so the SICAP support officer gave them the support necessary to help them along the way.

“Without these supports, the sheds believe that they will not be in a position to continue in the long term. These volunteers are not in a position to make up the shortfall that will occur as a consequence of the decision to withdraw the support,” Cllr Cahill Skehan said.

Typically, the age profile of the people involved in men’s sheds is over 75, the Fianna Fáil councillor outlined, adding that many of the men wouldn’t be in a position to run the sheds at their age.

"All the men participating in the sheds are retired, and the age profile is in excess of 75 years of age. It is a vulnerable group where social inclusion and community activity programmes are critical to their health and well-being.

"Removing this support without putting a consultation process to the sheds is, to me, not the correct course of action,” Cllr Cahill Skehan added.

Cllr Cahill Skehan said she wasn’t overly happy with the response from the council to her motion, and said that local representatives should keep the pressure on to ensure that the sheds receive the supports they vitally need.

"I think that we should look into it and get that support reinstated, because it really is necessary,” she said.

Cllr Cahill Skehan’s motion was seconded by Fine Gael councillor Willie Kennedy, and received widespread support from councillors in the chamber.