The Minister For Mental Health has said that the closure of the Owenacurra Centre in Midleton will not be reversed.
The long stay mental health centre on the grounds of Midelton Community hospital has been slated for closure by the HSE, however families say residents should not be moved and are calling for a new centre to be built on the hospital grounds.
Caoimhseach Connolly has more for RedFM News:
"The Joint Committee on Health has said that the evidence presented by the HSE to justify the closure of the Owenacurra Centre is "unconvincing" and have called on Minister of State for Mental Health to reverse the decision.
They have also said the closure would be in direct contravention of mental health policy which says services should be located within communities.
Junior Minister Mary Butler wrote to the chair of the Oireachtas Health Committee, Seán Crowe, yesterday about the matter.
She told him the decision to close the unit will not be reversed, and that she will "not engage on this matter any further".
Minister Butler says two independent reports have found that refurbishment alone would not bring Owenacurra up to standard.
Health Committee Chairperson Crowe disputes this assertion.
Many residents of the centre have lived there for years but the closure would see them moved to other locations across Cork.
Caoimhseach Connolly, RedFM News."
