The Minister for Health has officially opened two new centres in Newry for people with disabilities.

Windsor Day Centre is a £3.7million purpose-built facility providing day care for 39 adults with learning disabilities. Carrickore Children's Respite Unit is a £2.5 million facility providing respite care for eight children and young people with a disability and/or challenging behaviour from ages 4 to 18 years.

Mr Edwin Poots said: "Improving services for those with a learning disability has been one of my top priorities since I became Minister for Health. It has been my Department’s policy for a number of years to encourage and support people with learning disabilities to live in a community setting such as provided by Windsor Day Centre.

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"The Centre not only offers a welcome and modern environment for users and staff in the new building, it also provides a range of activities which may lead to other opportunities for users, including workforce training."

Referring to the new respite unit, the Minister added: "Respite care is the most important thing we can offer to families and carers supporting dependent relatives at home. This is doubly important in the case of young people and adults with learning disability who need opportunities for social interaction, for stimulation and for improvement in independence."

(CD/GK)