Residents at a mental health centre in Midleton that's due to close next month are terrified of losing their freedom, according to a local TD.
The HSE are set to shut the Owenacurra centre at the end of October due to the poor condition of the building.
19 people live at the long-stay facility, the majority have been there for over 5 years while one person has lived there for around 25 years.
The families of residents say they are concerned that the service will be lost when the centre closes and want residents to remain there while a new one is built nearby.
Cork East TD Pat Buckley says some residents still do not know where they will be moved to.
"There's no clarity on where those people are going to be sent.
"Funnily enough I read a number of reports this morning - centres that they're mentioning are very similar to non compliance, similar to the Owenacurra centre.
"So it's out of the melting pot and back into the fire for these people.
"At the moment we seem to be stonewalled.
"Time is ticking - the one thing we did have last week on the subcommittee is that the deadline of October 31st is not set in stone - apparently that's being moved forward but we don't know how far."
