By Jonathan Magee
A LIFFORD-STRANORLAR councillor is calling for a permanent MABS and Citizens’ Information presence in the municipal district, with a particular focus on addressing the unique cross-border needs of the area.
Cllr Patrick McGowan raised the issue at a municipal district meeting this week, emphasising that the scattered nature of communities across east Donegal, combined with the area’s extensive land border with the North, creates specific needs that are not being met.
He claimed that Donegal has eight MABS – Citizens Advice offices across the county. Cllr McGowan said none have been placed in the Lifford – Stranorlar MD — something he described as “totally unacceptable”.
He pointed to what he called token provision, with clinics running for only a couple of hours on Mondays and Fridays, and suggested the quality of that service had historically been poor.
“In the past the ones at a loose end got sent up and often the clients knew more than the MABS staff sent up.”
Cllr McGowan said he has no issue with local clients travelling to the Letterkenny office, but argued it was “grossly unfair” that the Twin Towns lacks a dedicated service of its own.
With significant numbers of people crossing the border daily for work, education and healthcare, he said the area generates questions that require specialist knowledge.
“We are the only MD with such a long land border with the North and many scattered communities. There’s very few people that don’t have links to the North.”
He cited cross-border employment, taxation, social welfare, health and schools as areas generating complex queries that other municipal districts simply do not face.
“Our MD has extra issues the others don’t have. This is going on 20 years and it’s totally unacceptable.”
Cllr McGowan called on the local board to ensure a fair and equal distribution of MABS offices across the county.