Families requiring the service in the South Leitrim region have been forced to travel to North Leitrim or out of the county to access the vital support.

The community recognition fund is an initiative to support communities that have welcomed people from Ukraine and other countries.

€426,000 in funding was secured to support the service following a number of issues.

According to figures from the Roscommon has received the most funding to date.

Head of Ireland's Hidden Heartlands, Paddy Matthews says that just under half of the money has been allocated to developing cycling and walking trails across the region.

Mel Crowe believes the key to successful grant applications is to keep trying:

Minister Heather Humphries says the funding will make a real difference in the towns and villages across Ireland.

The funding is designed to assist in the development of rural community infrastructure for the LGBTI+ community.