Childline office to close in Mullingar

The Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (ISPCC) has announced that it is closing its Mullingar office this June.

Specially trained local volunteers, aided by ISPCC staff, have operated a Childline phone and web service from the organisation’s Mullingar Bishopsgate Street base since 2008.

In a statement issued to the Westmeath Examiner, the ISPCC said that the decision to close its Mullingar office was taken “purely to ensure the most effective use of the charity’s resources”. The organisation also confirmed that there will be no redundancies as a result of the closure. ISPCC staff currently employed in Mullingar will be relocated to another ISPCC premises, the charity revealed.

“The ISPCC has recently taken a decision to close its Mullingar premises. This will not have any impact on service delivery within Mullingar or the region. The ISPCC’s Childline service is a national service and children in Mullingar and Westmeath will continue to have 24-hour access to Childine’s support through its telephone, text and online services.

With regards to the future plans for the building, the ISPCC said that it was “considering options, eg selling or buying, to ensure the best use of its assests with the ultimate aim of reinvesting in the our services”.

The ISPCC also stated that the organisation has recently struggled to attract volunteers in the Mullingar area.

“The ISPCC Childline has received great support and dedication from the volunteers in the Mullingar office for many years and is very grateful for their contribution. In recent times, it has been challenging to secure a sufficient number of volunteers to maintain the service.”