SDLP Foyle MLA Sinéad McLaughlin has said the Executive must be held accountable for allowing Derry’s Community Crisis Intervention Service (CCIS) to close its doors today due to a lack of funding.
The CCIS, which has provided out-of-hours support to more than 2,300 people experiencing acute mental health crises, has now ceased operations after no sustainable funding solution was secured.
The closure leaves a serious gap in emergency support for people in distress across the city.
Ms. McLaughlin said: “This is a dark day for Derry.
“The loss of the Community Crisis Intervention Service is a devastating blow to the many people and families who have relied on it in moments of extreme vulnerability.
“This service didn’t just fill a gap in provision – it saved lives. Its closure is not just a tragedy, it is a failure of government to recognise and protect the wellbeing of our community.
“This is not an isolated incident.
“In recent months we’ve seen the Northlands Centre and Echo Echo Dance Company also plunged into crisis due to the withdrawal of core funding.
“Derry’s community and cultural infrastructure is being slowly dismantled in plain sight, while Executive departments look the other way.
“This is not just a health issue or a justice issue – it is a failure of strategic government. The allocation of funding in Derry has too often been short-term, inconsistent, and blind to the social value of these organisations.
“We urgently need a sustainable, cross-departmental funding model that reflects the impact and importance of community-based services.
“That is exactly what I am trying to deliver through my Regional Jobs, Skills and Investment Bill – to bring fairness and stability to funding for cities like Derry.
“Derry deserves better than silence and shutdowns. We deserve leadership, funding fairness, and services that are there when people need them most.”
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