The Taoiseach is being urged to step in and prevent the closure of a mental health facility in East Cork.
The appeal by residents of the Owenacurra Centre and their families comes after the Joint Committee on Health wrote to the Minister of State in the Department of Health at the start of the month to express dissatisfaction and concern over it's proposed closure.
The Committee urged Minister Mary Butler to reverse the decision as a matter of urgency as they say it is in contravention of the Sharing the Vision policy which seeks to locate mental health services within communities.
The HSE said the building was no longer fit for the 19 residents, many of whom have lived there for over 20 years.
The families of relatives and a number of residents are to deliver a letter from residents to the Taoiseach's constituency office tomorrow afternoon appealing to him to reverse the decision.
Speaking to RedFM News Maureen O'Sullivan whose brother is a resident at Owenacurra, says it's time Taoiseach Micheal Marin got involved.
"We want the Taoiseach to intervene, and overturn the decision to close the Owenacurra Centre - and that's not a a delay, it's a complete reversal of the decision by the HSE to close Owenacurra.
"In other words - that Owenacurra stays open, that the respite service that is essential for day patients be restored, and that East Cork needs to have 30 places for this time of patient, not 11."
