Locals in Midleton who have been campaigning for the retention of the Owenacurra mental health facility since last Autumn say they are very disappointed with an offer of accommodation
in Carrigaline for some residents
The mental health centre on the grounds of Midleton Community Hospital was due to close at the end of October after the HSE said the building was no longer fit for the 19 residents.
Residents’ families say the centre should remain open and have raised fears that moving residents out of the town will have a significant impact on their wellbeing.
Protests against the closure have been held and the matter has been raised in the Dail .
It's now emerged that some residents have been offered accommodation at a new facility in Carrigaline but their families are totally opposed to the move as they say they'd be moving away from everything they know
Local Sinn Fein TD Pat Buckley told RedFM News that if the facility closes it will leave East Cork without a community-based mental health facility:
"We will have no services in Middleton or the East Cork area if the Owenacurra Centre goes. And those people that are living in that Owenacurra Center are very well integrated into society in Middleton, they have the freedom to go in and out of the place and they expect them to move them all up to the far side of the city. Even one gentleman said to me so this is going to be my forever home. I thought I was going to die here. So where am I going to go now?"
