Community Care leader Breege McDaid has spent the last three decades working with Irish people in the Liverpool area.

Breege McDaid from Donegal is set to receive a Presidential Distinguished Service Award today.

Breege, a native of Buncrana, is the Director of Irish Community Care Merseyside (ICCM).

Breege has worked with ICCM since 1987, which now has 17 staff, and caters for people of Irish birth or descent, including Irish Travellers, across Merseyside, west Cheshire and Wigan.

Breege Mc Daid

Breege’s work in support of the Irish Community abroad has been recognised for the Presidential Distinguished Service Award for the Irish Abroad for 2018. She is one of 10 people to win an award this year.

Breege has been praised as an inclusive community leader, whose positive outlook and mindful generosity inspires others and promotes deeper understanding and empathy towards vulnerable people in society.

Breege’s leadership of ICCM, her ability to collaborate with city partners and service providers, teamed with her tenacity to navigate systems to deliver opportunities to the poor, the vulnerable, the lost and the isolated, has benefited thousands and shows no signs of slowing.

In addition to the young Irish, many of their clients include elderly people long domiciled in Merseyside, who may be in poor health and socially isolated.

Help is provided with regard to jobseeking, benefits, housing, health, personal safety and many other issues affecting those of Irish background.

ICCM also co-operates with the “Safe Home” project, based in Mayo, which assists elderly Irish to return to live in their native land.

Breege’s reputation for diplomacy, advocacy and care is widely understood and appreciated in community, care and business circles in the city.

The Presidential Distinguished Service Awards will be presented today, 29th November by President Higgins.

Announcing the recipients of the award, the Tánaiste Simon Coveney said: “I am delighted to have the opportunity once again this year to formally recognise the achievements of some of the finest members of our global family, our diaspora.”

“The diverse contributions of these individuals extends across six different categories. Through their work, they contribute to building an invaluably positive image of Ireland and Irish people around the world.”

“This is the seventh year in which recipients have received this Award, and the ceremony remains a very important opportunity to acknowledge those who have contributed to realising Ireland’s place as an island at the centre of the world.”