An Cosantóir

| 23 www.military.ie THE DEFENCE FORCES MAGAZINE Support Centres, eleven are located within a Defence Forces installation, with four located outside – Athy, Cavan, Cobh and Limerick. In addition to our Veteran Support Centres, ONE has developed a nationwide network of thirty-eight Branches which primarily provide comradeship to veterans. VETERAN COUNSELLING SERVICE ONE offers a counselling service and is there to listen and to provide veterans with direct access to a designated Veteran Support Team and ONE's Confidential Counselling Service. Full time Veteran Support Officers (Counsellors) are in: • Head Office in partnership with the Leopardstown Park Hospital Trust. • Brú na bhFiann (Dublin) in partnership with the HSE Dublin North Community Healthcare Organisation (CHO). • Southern Area Council in partnership with the Tomar Trust and Representative Association of Commissioned Officers (RACO) from 01 April 2023. • Business Cases were submitted to Cork / Kerry CHO and Sth Dublin, Kildare and West Wicklow CHO for 'Grant Aid', similar to HSE Dublin North CHO, to employ Veteran Support Officers in those CHO's. FUNDING It costs over €1,100,000 per annum for current services, not including capital costs. ONE receives approximately €475,000 from State / Local Authority funding annually in respect of those services. Therefore considerable funding must be raised. Funding streams are volatile in nature and while we can plan expenditure, planning income is a far greater challenge. ONE will therefore continue to develop more predictable funding streams. FUTURE PLANNING ONE would love to forecast an end to the plight of homeless veterans but we believe the situation will continue to dis- improve. This, coupled with other challenges facing veterans, is why we are constantly developing our services. In 2023 ONE will: • Further develop ONE's counselling service for veterans throughout Ireland who need such a service, including a 24/7 helpline capability. • Continue to improve the facilities in our existing homes, including an Energy Master Plan in partnership with the SEAI. • Complete the development of a fifth home; Brú Uí Choileáin in Cork City with six bedrooms for homeless veterans and complete the planning of our sixth and seventh homes which we plan to open in Limerick and Kildare in 2024. • Further the development of our fifteen Veteran Support Centres and open further Centres as required. • Complete further courses of training/education in Mental Health First Aid and other associated programmes.. • Further progress a strategy to ensure that ONE is a diverse and inclusive Veteran's Organisation that draws from the breadth of those who served in the Defence Forces; gains strength from that range of knowledge, experience and talent; and welcomes, respects and values the unique contribution of every individual. • Continue to implement ONE's Strategic plan – ONE75 – that charts the future of the organisation out to 2026, the 75th anniversary of its founding. Finance is required to support many of the foregoing initiatives. New marketing and fundraising initiatives will be launched during 2023, including Hope Couture, and your enduring support is deeply appreciated. CONCLUSION ONE, whose primary pillar is the provision of support for veterans in Ireland, also fosters comradeship, advocates on behalf of veterans, and remembers those who served. We will be successful when we can grow the level of support to veterans through our Homes, Branches, Veteran Support Centres and Counsellors, while ensuring that we comply with all governance provisions. www.military.ie THE DEFENCE FORCES MAGAZINE | 23

• Cover