To mark the start of this year’s Dublin Pride week on Monday, June 19, Lord Mayor of Dublin Caroline Conroy paid an official visit to the Outhouse LGBTQ+ Centre. Speaking on the occasion, she backed Outhouse’s plans to become a world-class fully inclusive centre for the LGBTQ+ community in Dublin.

During her visit, the Lord Mayor said: “It was my pleasure to visit Outhouse LGBTQ+ Centre during Pride week to acknowledge the vital role the centre plays in the life of the LGBTQ+ community and the city of Dublin.”

Outhouse has been a safe space for queer people since 1997 and has a fundamental role in connecting the LGBTQ+ community, always with the goal of improving people’s quality of life through connection, community support, culture, and campaigning. 

Conroy also remarked on the atmosphere of support that Outhouse creates within their walls, saying: “While visiting the centre, I was struck by the dedication of the staff and volunteers to improving the well-being of LGBTQ+ people in Dublin.” 

Commenting on the ambitious five-year strategic plan launched by Outhouse on May 22, she then added, “Their vision of a world-class centre for the LGBTQ+ community is ambitious, and I am delighted to lend my support to their efforts to realise this ambition and deliver a centre that is fully accessible, more inclusive, and which will serve Dubliners best.”

The plans for a fully inclusive LGBTQ+ centre revolve around the objective to deliver universal accessibility to 105 Capel Street, where Outhouse is currently located, by the end of 2024.

Speaking during the Mayor’s visit to the centre, Oisín O’Reilly, CEO of Outhouse LGBTQ+ Centre, said: “It was my pleasure to welcome the Lord Mayor to Outhouse and talk with her about the challenges facing the LGBTQ+ residents of Dublin, among them concerns about their safety, rising poverty, and the impact of the housing crisis on LGBTQ+ people.”

O’Reilly also added, “I was delighted to share our ambitions for the future and secure the Lord Mayor’s support to ensure our centre is universally accessible and to grow and develop Outhouse into a world-class centre for the LGBTQ+ community.”

To mark Pride his year, Outhouse has also partnered with Dublin Bus in a campaign aimed at spreading positive messages and make the buses a “vehicle for answers”. The #SearchingForPride initiative has the goal of increasing visibility for the LGBTQ+ community in Ireland, while also answering vital questions that queer folks may have. Check out the campaign on Outhouse’s and Dublin Bus’s socials.

Are you #SearchingforPride? We’ve partnered with @DublinBusNews to become a vehicle for answers!

We know that being part of the LGBTQ+ community can come with lots of questions, and knowing where to find the answers isn’t straightforward, and we’re here to help! #DublinPride https://t.co/QhQdxazuDp

— Outhouse LGBTQ+ Centre (@Outhouse_Dublin) June 19, 2023